Kenya airport staff strike delays thousands of passengers

Dozens of travelers were left stranded at Kenya’s primary international airport, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), as flight disruptions persisted into a second day due to a workers’ strike. The airport serves as a crucial regional transportation hub. Earlier, the airport’s management and national carrier, Kenya Airways, had warned that departing flights could face delays.

Negotiations between unions and airport managers were scheduled for Monday, but discussions had ended the previous day without resolution. Airport workers are on a nationwide slowdown strike, demanding improved working conditions and the enforcement of a previously reached agreement. Passengers attempting to board their flights have been confined to JKIA, with some spending a night in and around check-in areas awaiting news.

Kenya Airways reported in its latest update that the ongoing "industrial action by air traffic control workers" has led to delays exceeding six hours, and the growing flight backlog has forced the cancellation of some departures. The airline has apologized for the inconvenience and informed passengers that flight changes or rescheduling could be done without penalties.

Flight tracking website Flightradar24 documented numerous delayed, cancelled, or diverted flights. RwandAir announced on Monday that it had cancelled two flights due to "operational constraints affecting air traffic control services" at the airport, following earlier cancellations on Sunday. One traveler, Mendel Goldman, who was en route to a wedding in Florida, told Reuters that his flight had been cancelled after several delays, and he had been waiting for 12 hours.

He expressed concern over the lengthy wait, stating that the earliest flight available for them would only be the following night. Another traveller, William Obino, a 22-year-old, told the AFP news agency that updates were arriving late, causing frustration and disruption to his itinerary. The strike follows a two-day dispute in February over collective bargaining and the use of volunteers at the airport.

Union officials cited ongoing unresolved concerns as the reason for taking industrial action. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, located in Nairobi, is one of the busiest aviation hubs in the region, handling roughly nine million passengers annually, according to Kenyan authorities. However, the airport has experienced multiple strikes in recent years as workers advocate for better conditions.