Kenya’s aviation workers called off their strike on Tuesday after the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) reached a deal with the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Labour.
Kenya Airways had said Tuesday morning that it was experiencing up to four-hour delays for departures out of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) due to air traffic control disruptions.
The airport workers went on strike on Monday in a labour dispute with Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.
In a statement, the airline advised passengers to check their flight status before going to the airport.
Several airplanes including Ethiopian Airlines and Qatar Airways, were forced to reschedule their flights on Monday night.
“Dear Customer, we regret the inconvenience caused by cancellation of your flight,” reads part of a message Qatar Airways sent to its customers.
“I don’t know what’s next. I’ve been here since yesterday. I was supposed to fly at 5pm,” said Job Cheruiyot, a stranded passenger.
According to Kawu Secretary-General Moss Ndiema, the strike began at 6am on Monday. The airport workers issued a seven-day strike notice to Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) on February 9, warning that failure to address their grievances would see them proceed with the industrial action.
Among the union’s key demands is the employment of workers on permanent and pensionable terms, which it says remains unresolved.
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