Kenya: Flights Disrupted for Second Day As Transport Ministry Stays Silent On Aviation Strike

What the report says

Kenya’s aviation strike continued into a second day on Monday, disrupting flights at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi and other airports, according to Capital FM as distributed by AllAfrica. Travelers faced long delays, cancellations and crowding at the airport, while the Ministry of Roads and Transport had not issued a substantive public statement by the time of the report.

The article said the Kenya Aviation Workers Union began the industrial action on Sunday. Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing'oei, who does not oversee the transport docket, said the government was working toward an amicable settlement and apologized to travelers for the inconvenience. The Kenya Airports Authority also said air traffic control disruption was still affecting operations and advised passengers to confirm flight status before heading to the airport.

Several airlines reported immediate effects. RwandAir canceled two pairs of Monday flights, and Kenya Airways said delays of more than six hours had created a backlog that forced it to reschedule and cancel some services. The report said some passengers had spent more than 12 hours at JKIA. Aviation and tourism groups, including the Kenya Association of Air Operators, African Airlines Association and Kenya Tourism Federation, urged a quick end to the strike, warning that prolonged disruption could affect safety, connectivity and Kenya’s role as a regional aviation hub.

For context, the article noted that a similar strike in February caused extensive cancellations and delays, with preliminary losses estimated at about $5.1 million for a sample of operators.