NAIROBI, Kenya- Kenya Airways has reported flight delays of more than six hours and cancellations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) as an aviation workers’ go-slow entered its second day on Monday.
The national carrier said the ongoing disruption to Air Traffic Control (ATC) services had created a significant backlog, forcing the airline to reschedule and cancel some flights.
“Due to the flight backlog, we have had to reschedule and cancel some flights,” Kenya Airways said in a customer update issued on Monday.
The airline advised passengers not to travel to JKIA unless they had confirmed that their flights were operating.
Kenya Airways said its teams were working around the clock to manage the backlog and reschedule affected passengers as the disruption continued.
The airline has also waived penalties for passengers who choose to change or reschedule their flights because of the disruption.
The latest disruption is a sharp escalation from Sunday, when Kenya Airways reported that its scheduled flights were departing with average delays of two to three hours. By Monday, the accumulated backlog had pushed delays beyond six hours and resulted in cancellations.
The Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) resumed industrial action on Sunday after an earlier agreement with the government failed to resolve outstanding grievances.
The union says its concerns include an unresolved collective bargaining agreement with the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, working conditions and issues involving the Kenya Airports Authority and Jambojet.
The disruption has affected passengers travelling both into and out of Nairobi, with some travellers spending more than 12 hours at the airport waiting for information about their flights.
Regional airlines have also been affected.
Uganda Airlines has issued an advisory to passengers travelling through Nairobi amid the disruption, while RwandAir cancelled two flights because of reported air traffic control challenges at JKIA.
The situation has also prompted airlines to advise passengers to confirm their flight status before heading to the airport.
The Kenya Airports Authority said airports across the country were experiencing delays and urged passengers to contact their respective airlines for updates.
KAWU Secretary-General Moss Ndiema said the union and government officials held discussions on Sunday but failed to reach a resolution. Further talks were scheduled for Monday as the strike continued.
The industrial action has now entered its second day, with airlines working to clear the backlog while negotiations continue.
