Thousands of travellers were left facing lengthy delays and cancelled flights on Monday as a go-slow by aviation workers at Kenya’s main international airport entered its second day, disrupting operations and creating a growing backlog of flights.
The industrial action, led by the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU), has affected operations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi, with passengers reporting hours of uncertainty as airlines struggled to reorganise schedules and clear the backlog.
Kenya Airways said some of its flights were delayed by more than six hours, while several services were rescheduled or cancelled. Affected passengers were advised to confirm their flight status before heading to the airport, with airlines also making arrangements to accommodate some stranded travellers in hotels.
The dispute centres on a series of unresolved labour grievances involving aviation-sector employers, including the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and Jambojet.
KAWU has raised concerns over stalled collective bargaining negotiations with KCAA, as well as what it describes as a lack of cooperation from KAA and Jambojet on outstanding workers’ issues.
The latest strike follows the breakdown of an earlier framework agreement reached in July, which had temporarily eased tensions and provided a timetable for negotiations between the union and the affected employers.
The union subsequently issued another strike notice after it said some of the outstanding issues had not been adequately addressed, leading to the latest industrial action.
KAA acknowledged that flights were being delayed at the country’s airports and said it was working with airlines and other aviation stakeholders to manage the disruption. The authority urged passengers to confirm their flight status with their respective airlines before travelling to the airport.
The disruption has also affected international carriers. Rwanda’s national airline, RwandAir, cancelled two flights linked to what it described as air-traffic-control challenges at the Nairobi airport.
At JKIA, the impact was evident as passengers waited for hours for updates on their departures. Some travellers spent the night at the airport, while others were subsequently transferred to hotels as airlines attempted to manage the disruption.
The strike has added pressure to Kenya’s aviation industry, with JKIA serving as a major regional hub connecting East Africa to destinations across Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe.
For thousands of passengers, however, the immediate concern remains whether and when their flights will depart.
With negotiations between the union and government stakeholders continuing, attention is now focused on whether the parties can reach an agreement quickly enough to restore normal operations and prevent the disruption from spreading further.
Until then, travellers at Kenya’s busiest airport face continued uncertainty as the labour dispute threatens to prolong delays, cancellations and missed connections.
