Kenya airport staff strike delays thousands of passengers

On Monday, flight delays affected thousands of travelers at Kenya's main international airport, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, due to ongoing airport workers' go-slow strike action. The Kenya Aviation Workers' Union (KAWU) claimed negotiations for a collective bargaining agreement were ongoing and cited a lack of cooperation from the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and Kenya Airways subsidiary Jambojet as primary grievances.

The KAA did not provide further explanation for the delays, and the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority and Jambojet chose not to respond to requests for comment.

RwandAir, Rwanda's national carrier, announced the cancellation of two flights due to air traffic control challenges at the Nairobi airport. Passengers reported spending hours at the airport waiting for updates on their flights. Rabbi Mendel Goldman, who was traveling to a wedding in Florida, experienced multiple delays, eventually leading to a cancellation. He reported being stranded at the airport for 12 hours, with the earliest available flight now scheduled for the following night.

KAWU Secretary General Moss Ndiema stated that the union and government officials met on Sunday to address the issues but were unsuccessful. They announced that they would continue the strike action on Tuesday at 11 am, but the strike was still in progress.