Domestic aviation ground handlers are set to embark on an indefinite strike on November 5 over the reversal of increase in cargo charges by the House of Representatives.
The Aviation Ground Handling Association of Nigeria (AGHAN) said it is already putting modalities in place to commence indefinite strike to enforce the commencement of the new price regime as approved by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) two months ago.
The NCAA had approved an increase in safety threshold handling rates after 36 years with commencement dates slated for October 1, 2021 (for international operators) and January 1, 2022 (for local operators) but the House Committee on Aviation directed it to stop the implementation till further notice.
With the new rates, the handlers could charge between $1,500 and $5,000 (passenger and cargo flights) for narrow and wide body aircraft on international routes, respectively, while for domestic operators it was upped to N20,000 and N70,000, depending on the aircraft type.
Companies like the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) Plc, the Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) Plc, Precision Aviation Handling Company Limited (PAHCOL) and the Swissport Handling Company, were expected to charge the same handling rates as their counterparts in the sub-African countries.
