Dozens of passengers were stranded at the Kisumu International Airport and Eldoret on Wednesday morning following the ongoing workers strike at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi.
A strike by the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) has caused a major crisis at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, where hundreds of passengers are stranded since midnight. Flight operations were affected, leading to notices from airlines including Kenya Airways which advised passengers flying out from 11 am not to go to the airport.
Union officials said the strike was called due to several grievances about mismanagement, including the planned merger between Kenya Airports Authority and Kenya Airways, in what has generated sharp criticism from a section of leaders. Local flights to and from Mombasa and Kisumu were also affected, with workers also protesting on learning about the hefty packages paid out to senior managers by the loss making airline.
A spot check revealed that Kenya Airways, Fly540 and Jambojet flights from the JKIA have not landed since morning. Only one flight belonging to Silverstone Air arrived from the Wilson Airport in Nairobi and departed shortly after. However, there were no signs of striking workers at the Kisumu airport. In Eldoret, passengers were left stranded waiting for a flight from Kisumu.