Kenya airport staff strike delays thousands of passengers

Delays at Kenya's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Monday impacted thousands of travelers as ongoing airport staff strike action entered its second day, with the main union stating negotiations were still in progress. The Kenya Aviation Workers' Union (KAWU) cited several grievances, including the inability to finalize a collective bargaining agreement with the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority and a lack of cooperation from the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and Kenya Airways' subsidiary, Jambojet.

KAA reported flight delays on Sunday without specifying the reasons, and neither the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority nor Jambojet responded to inquiries on Monday. RwandAir, the national carrier of Rwanda, announced that it canceled two flights due to air traffic control challenges at the Nairobi airport, as reported on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday.

Passengers shared their experiences with Reuters, recounting hours spent at the airport awaiting updates. Rabbi Mendel Goldman, traveling to a wedding in Florida, recounted a series of delays, from an initial one-hour and a half delay to a subsequent four and a half hour delay. He was ultimately informed that his flight had been canceled, with the earliest alternative flight only available the following night. Goldman expressed frustration, having been at the airport for 12 hours by Monday morning, waiting in the terminal.

KAWU Secretary General Moss Ndiema stated that the union and government officials met on Sunday to address the issues but without resolution. The union agreed to continue the strike action on Monday, with negotiations set to resume at 11 a.m. However, the strike action remained in effect, according to Ndiema.