NAIROBI, Kenya — Thousands of passengers faced flight delays and cancellations at Kenya’s main international airport on Monday as a strike by aviation worker...
NAIROBI, Kenya — Thousands of passengers faced flight delays and cancellations at Kenya’s main international airport on Monday as a strike by aviation workers entered its second day, disrupting operations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
The Kenya Aviation Workers’ Union (KAWU) said its members were continuing industrial action over several grievances, including the failure to conclude a collective bargaining agreement with the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA).
The union also cited what it described as a lack of cooperation from the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and Kenya Airways subsidiary Jambojet.
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KAA said on Sunday that some flights were experiencing delays but did not disclose the reasons. The authority had not responded to a request for comment by Monday.
The KCAA and Jambojet also did not respond to requests for comment.
Passengers stranded for hours
The disruption left travellers facing lengthy waits and uncertainty over their flights.
RwandAir announced on X on Sunday that it had cancelled two flights, citing air traffic control challenges at JKIA in Nairobi.
Passengers at the airport told Reuters they had spent several hours waiting for information about their flights.
Among them was Rabbi Mendel Goldman, who was travelling to Florida to attend a wedding. He said his flight was initially delayed to 1 a.m. before being pushed back again to 4:30 a.m.
When he eventually went to check in, he was told that the flight had been cancelled.
“The earliest flight they can get us is only tomorrow night, so we’ve got to wait,” Goldman said.
He added that he had already spent about 12 hours at the airport waiting for information.
Union and government continue negotiations
KAWU Secretary General Moss Ndiema said the union and government officials held talks on Sunday in an effort to resolve the dispute, but the discussions did not produce an immediate solution.
“We have agreed to proceed with the engagements tomorrow, as from 11 o’clock in the morning. In the meantime, the strike action is still on,” Ndiema said in comments broadcast by KTN Television.
The continuation of the industrial action means passengers travelling through JKIA could face further disruptions until an agreement is reached.
JKIA is a major regional aviation hub, connecting Kenya with destinations across Africa and international markets. Prolonged disruption could therefore have wider consequences for airlines, connecting passengers and cargo operations.
What passengers should know
Travellers flying through Nairobi should check directly with their airlines for the latest information before heading to the airport, particularly if they have connecting flights.
With negotiations between the workers’ union and authorities continuing, the scale and duration of further disruptions will depend on whether the parties can reach an agreement.
