Hundreds Stranded at JKIA as Aviation Workers Strike Disrupts Flights

NAIROBI, Kenya — Hundreds of passengers remained stranded at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi on Monday after aviation workers began industrial action that severely disrupted operations at Kenya’s major airports.

Travellers scheduled to fly through JKIA spent the night in airport lobbies as they awaited updates and assistance from their respective airlines.

By Monday morning, several airlines had begun arranging hotel transfers for affected passengers as the disruption continued.

The strike was initiated on Sunday by aviation workers under the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU), who declared go-slows across airports in the country. The union is demanding improved employee welfare, better working conditions and the implementation of employment benefits previously agreed upon with the affected employers.

Operations were significantly disrupted at JKIA and Moi International Airport in Mombasa, with airport activities coming close to a standstill.

KAWU Secretary General Moss Ndiema said union members had downed their tools at the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and Jambojet.

Ndiema said the workers would not return to work until the union’s grievances against the three institutions were resolved.

The industrial action follows the collapse of a framework agreement reached on July 27 after Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir brought together KAWU and the four employers named in an earlier strike notice.

Under the agreement, each organisation was expected to engage directly with the union and follow a timetable for negotiations aimed at addressing the workers’ concerns.

The breakdown of the negotiations has now triggered fresh industrial action, leaving hundreds of travellers facing flight delays, cancellations and uncertainty over their travel plans.

Airlines have been working to manage the disruption, including arranging accommodation for passengers affected by the strike.

The situation is expected to remain closely watched as negotiations between the union and the affected employers determine whether airport operations will return to normal or the disruption will continue.