Ground Handlers Threaten Service Withdrawal to Two Airlines Over Mounting Debts, Sparking Flight Disruption Fears

The Association of Ground Handling Companies of Nigeria (AGHAN) has instructed its members to serve seven-day suspension notices on two major domestic airlines over long-overdue debts, heightening fears of possible flight disruptions.

AGHAN made the directive known in a statement signed by its Chairman, Olaniyi Adigun, and Vice-Chairman, Ahmed Bashir Gulmah, after an executive meeting on Friday, September 4, 2026. Members at the meeting raised alarm over the heavy indebtedness of some domestic carriers.

Ground handling firms provide essential services to airlines, including aircraft turnaround support and other airport operations. Any halt in those services to major carriers could disrupt their ability to keep normal flight schedules.

The association said the two unnamed airlines alone owe more than 70 percent of the total debt owed to ground handling companies. Although AGHAN did not name the carriers, it recently stopped services to Max Air. Other major airlines are also owing the handlers.

Under the seven-day notice, the affected airlines must pay 75 percent of their outstanding debts within the notice period. The remaining 25 percent is to be cleared through a structured repayment plan agreed by both parties and completed within 90 days.

AGHAN said the continued failure of some airlines to meet their financial obligations has put ground handling companies under severe pressure, hampering their ability to pay employees, suppliers, statutory stakeholders, lenders and shareholders. The financial strain, it added, could also affect the substantial investments needed to sustain safe and efficient ground handling operations.

The association urged the affected airlines to use the notice period to engage with their ground handlers and meet the payment conditions to avoid suspension of services. It stressed that the move was not meant to cripple domestic airline operations but to safeguard commercial sustainability across the aviation value chain.

“AGHAN recognises the critical role of domestic airlines in Nigeria's aviation ecosystem and remains committed to resolving outstanding financial obligations through constructive engagement and mutually acceptable arrangements,” the statement said.

It added that sustaining ground handling operations required a fair and responsible approach to commercial obligations across the industry.

AGHAN said it remains aligned with the five-point agenda of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development and supports initiatives aimed at building a safe, efficient, commercially viable and globally competitive Nigerian aviation industry. It also pledged to keep working with domestic and international airlines, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), airport authorities and other stakeholders to improve safety, operational efficiency, service delivery and industry sustainability.

Despite the sector’s financial difficulties, AGHAN said its members would continue to invest in personnel, ground support equipment, technology, training, safety systems and quality assurance processes. The association expressed hope that the affected airlines would use the seven-day window to settle their obligations and prevent any disruption to ground handling services.