Kenya airport strike disrupts flights as hundreds of passengers stranded

Hundreds of passengers have been stranded at Kenya’s main airport in Nairobi as a workers’ strike continues to disrupt flights for a second day.

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), one of East Africa’s busiest aviation hubs, has experienced widespread delays, cancellations and diversions as aviation workers take industrial action over working conditions and the implementation of a previously agreed deal.

Kenya Airways warned passengers that delays of more than six hours were being experienced because of the strike by air traffic control workers. The resulting backlog has also forced the airline to cancel some flights.

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 service Flightradar24 showed numerous flights delayed, cancelled or diverted from the airport.

RwandAir also announced the cancellation of two flights on Monday because of what it described as operational constraints affecting air traffic control services. The airline had cancelled other flights on Sunday.

Some passengers have spent hours waiting around the airport for updates, with some forced to spend the night near the check-in areas.

Mendel Goldman, who was travelling to Florida for a wedding, said his flight had been cancelled after several delays. He told Reuters he had already spent 12 hours waiting at the airport and had been told the earliest available flight would be the following night.

Another passenger, 22-year-old William Obino, told AFP that updates were arriving late and the disruption was affecting his travel plans.

The strike follows a previous two-day dispute in February involving disagreements over collective bargaining and the use of volunteers at the airport.

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Union officials say the latest industrial action was necessary because key concerns about workers’ conditions remain unresolved.

A new round of negotiations between unions and airport managers was expected on Monday after talks on Sunday ended without an agreement.

JKIA is a major gateway connecting Kenya and other parts of Africa with destinations around the world. Kenyan authorities say the airport handled about nine million passengers last year.

The airport has experienced several strikes in recent years as aviation workers have demanded improved working conditions.

Passengers are being advised to check with their airlines for the latest information as negotiations between the unions and airport authorities continue.

(BBC News)