Passengers stranded as strike disrupts flights at Kenya's main airport
Kenya Airways says the strike has caused delays of more than six hours, with some flights cancelled.
Hundreds of travelers found themselves stranded at Kenya's primary airport in Nairobi, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), for the second consecutive day as a workers' strike continued to disrupt flights. JKIA serves as a crucial regional transportation hub.
On Sunday, both the airports authority and Kenya Airways, the national carrier, issued warnings about potential delays for departing flights. A new round of negotiations between unions and airport management was scheduled for Monday, following the breakdown of discussions without an agreement the previous day.
Aviation sector employees are engaged in a nationwide "go-slow" strike, demanding improved working conditions and the implementation of a previously agreed-upon deal. Many passengers hoping to fly have been stuck at JKIA, with some spending the night in and around the check-in areas awaiting updates.
Kenya Airways, in its latest statement, attributed delays exceeding six hours to "the industrial action by air traffic control workers." The resulting flight backlog has led to the cancellation of some departures. The airline apologized for the disruption and offered passengers the option to change or reschedule their flights without incurring a penalty.
Flight tracking website Flightradar24 displayed numerous delayed, canceled, or diverted flights. RwandAir announced on Monday the cancellation of two flights due to ongoing "operational constraints affecting air traffic control services" at the airport, following earlier cancellations on Sunday.
Mendel Goldman, en route to a wedding in Florida, informed Reuters that his flight was canceled after multiple delays. He reported waiting for 12 hours, stating, "The earliest flight they can get us is only tomorrow night, so we've got to wait. We're going to try and make most of it, but in the meantime, I've been here for 12 hours now, waiting in the airport."
William Obino, a 22-year-old traveler, told AFP, "Nothing is happening, updates are reaching us late. It's ruining our itinerary."
This strike follows a two-day dispute in February concerning collective bargaining and the use of volunteers at the airport. Union officials stated they initiated industrial action because their concerns remained unresolved.
Nairobi's main airport is one of the busiest hubs in the region, acting as a vital gateway between the continent and the rest of the world. According to Kenyan authorities, it handled approximately nine million passengers last year. However, it has experienced multiple strikes in recent years as workers advocate for better conditions.