Hundreds of passengers were stranded at Kenya’s main airport in Nairobi as flight disruptions entered a second day following a workers’ strike over working conditions and an unresolved agreement. According to a report by BBC, passengers hoping to travel were left waiting at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), with some……
Hundreds of passengers were stranded at Kenya’s main airport in Nairobi as flight disruptions entered a second day following a workers’ strike over working conditions and an unresolved agreement.
According to a report by BBC, passengers hoping to travel were left waiting at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), with some spending the night in and around the check-in areas as they awaited updates on their flights.
The airport, a major regional aviation hub, has been affected by a nationwide go-slow by aviation workers demanding improved working conditions and the implementation of a previously agreed deal.
The airports authority and national carrier Kenya Airways warned on Sunday that departing flights could face delays, while another round of negotiations between unions and airport managers was scheduled for Monday after talks ended without an agreement a day earlier.
Read Also: NCAA Appeals For Calm As Aviation Unions’ Strike Disrupts Flights
Kenya Airways said it was experiencing delays of more than six hours because of “the industrial action by air traffic control workers”, adding that the resulting backlog had forced it to cancel some departures.
The airline apologised to affected passengers and said those wishing to change or reschedule their flights could do so without paying a penalty.
Flight-tracking platform Flightradar24 also showed numerous delayed, cancelled and diverted flights from the airport.
RwandAir announced on Monday that it had cancelled two flights because of the ongoing “operational constraints affecting air traffic control services” at JKIA, following earlier cancellations on Sunday.
Mendel Goldman, who was travelling to a wedding in Florida, told Reuters that his flight had been cancelled after several delays and that he had already spent 12 hours waiting at the airport.
“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,” he said.
William Obino, a 22-year-old traveller, told AFP: “Nothing is happening, updates are reaching us late. It’s ruining our itinerary.”
The latest industrial action follows a two-day dispute in February over collective bargaining and the use of volunteers at the airport. Union officials said workers resorted to the strike because outstanding concerns had not been resolved.
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is one of East Africa’s busiest aviation hubs and serves as a major gateway connecting Kenya with other parts of Africa and destinations around the world.
According to Kenyan authorities, the airport handled about nine million passengers last year. However, it has faced several strikes in recent years as aviation workers continue to demand improved employment conditions.
