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Flight disruptions persist as airport workers strike impact lingers
Travellers are stranded at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi on August 31, 2026 as flight operations were disrupted when Kenya Aviation Workers Union members went on strike over the failure by the Government to honour the terms of their memorandum.
Several airlines continued to face flight delays on Tuesday as they struggled to clear the backlog created by a two-day aviation workers’ strike that brought operations at Kenya’s major airports to a near standstill.
The strike, which began on Sunday and was called off on Tuesday morning, forced airlines to cancel and delay flights, leaving thousands of passengers stranded at airports, including the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi.
Major carriers in Kenya, including Kenya Airways (KQ) and Jambojet, said they expected normal flight schedules to resume on Wednesday as they continued to deal with the effects of the industrial action.
Foreign carriers operating flights to and from Nairobi also continued to face disruptions, with airlines such as Etihad postponing some scheduled flights on Tuesday as they worked to clear backlog from Sunday and Monday.
The Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) called off the strike after reaching a return-to-work agreement with the government, Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) and Jambojet.
The agreement commits KAWU and KCAA to resume negotiations on a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), while salary discussions will be handled within the ambit of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission. It also provides for the release of agency fees owed to the union and protection of workers who participated in the strike from victimisation or disciplinary action.
KAWU had cited unresolved labour issues, including a stalled CBA, disputes over union agency fees, and its recognition dispute with Jambojet. The union also raised concerns over workers’ welfare and employment conditions.
The strike affected JKIA, Moi International Airport in Mombasa, Eldoret International Airport and Kisumu International Airport. The disruption was particularly severe at JKIA, which serves as Kenya’s main international aviation hub.
KQ, which uses JKIA as its hub, said it continued to experience delays on Tuesday following the suspension of the strike.
“Customers should expect some delays as our teams restore flight schedules. We anticipate resuming our normal scheduled operations by Wednesday,” said KQ in a statement.
Jambojet also said it expected to resume its full schedule on Wednesday after operating most of its flights on Tuesday, albeit with some delays as priority was given to earlier bookings.
“Our immediate priority is to support passengers whose travel plans were affected, while ensuring that all flights operate safely,” Jambojet CEO Karanja Ndegwa told Business Daily.
The airlines are rearranging their schedules to clear the flight backlog, with some destinations receiving higher frequencies than normal and others being served using larger aircraft.
“We are also adjusting our schedules and operational resources to accelerate the recovery and restore the network to normal by Wednesday 2nd. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and provide guests with timely updates on their flights,” added Mr Ndegwa.
The latest disruption was the second major aviation workers’ strike in Kenya this year, highlighting persistent labour tensions in a sector that serves as a critical gateway for regional and international travel.
The February strike also disrupted operations at JKIA and other airports before workers returned to their stations following government-mediated talks.
While the latest agreement has ended the strikw, airlines are still dealing with the operational consequences, with passengers warned to expect delays as carriers work through the accumulated backlog and restore their normal schedules.
