Relief for travellers as Kenya aviation workers call off strike

The Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) has called off their strike that began on Monday, disrupting operations at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). 

The industrial action was suspended after talks with the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) and the Ministry of Transport. 

KAWU Secretary General Moses Ndiema said they had successful consultations and engagements with relevant stakeholders and agreed on a return-to-work formula. 

“We are happy that we have successful consultation and engagement. In effect KAWU would like to call off the strike action on terms that have been agreed on tbe return to work formula,” said Ndiema.

“We divided grievances in two categories, we have those that are doable almost immediately, union representation at the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) will now include employees in grade 4,5. The others items involving KCAA, KAA will require a bit of time.”

As of Tuesday morning, the main airport in Nairobi was still witnessing disrupted schedules due to the strike.

In a statement, Jambojet said the disruptions had affected air traffic control at JKIA as the airline also continued to resolve the backlog from Monday, when the strike began. 

“The situation remains fluid, and we are closely monitoring developments in coordination with the relevant airport authorities. Kindly do not proceed to the airport for your scheduled flight until you receive a further update from us regarding your flight status,” said Jambojet. 

The national carrier, Kenya Airways, also alerted its customers of the delays, urging them to contact the airline before heading to the airport. 

The situation at JKIA raised concerns from the Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA), who said the disruptions could raise safety concerns. 

KALPA said the industrial action has led to significant operational interruptions, resulting in flight delays, diversions and cancellations that have inconvenienced passengers and stakeholders within the aviation sector.

Analysis by Citizen Digital showed a number of flights were delayed or cancelled in the early morning on Tuesday.