Thousands of passengers faced delays and cancellations at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Monday as a go-slow by airport workers entered its second day. Air traffic control problems have added to the disruption, leaving travelers facing long waits and uncertain schedules.
The situation at JKIA has become increasingly difficult for passengers, with several international and domestic services delayed, canceled or diverted.
The Kenya Aviation Workers’ Union (KAWU) has confirmed that its industrial action remains in place while talks with government officials continue.
For travelers, however, the immediate concern is whether their flight will leave as planned.
Delays Continue at Nairobi’s Main Airport
The workers’ go-slow began affecting operations at JKIA over the weekend and continued into Monday, August 31.
KAWU says the dispute stems from several unresolved issues, including the failure to conclude a collective bargaining agreement with the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.
The union has also raised concerns over its dealings with the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and Jambojet, a subsidiary of Kenya Airways.
Union Secretary General Moss Ndiema said representatives from KAWU and government officials met on Sunday to try to find a way forward.
The meeting did not immediately resolve the dispute.
Ndiema said the discussions would continue, but the strike action would remain in place in the meantime.
That leaves airlines and passengers dealing with another day of uncertainty at Kenya’s busiest international airport.
ATC Problems Add to the Disruption
The airport strike is only part of the story.
Kenya Airways has separately attributed delays into and out of JKIA to operational constraints within Air Traffic Control services.
In an advisory, the airline said the ongoing delays were linked to problems within ATC operations.
That is significant because the various disruptions at JKIA do not necessarily have a single cause.
The workers’ go-slow has affected airport operations, while ATC constraints have made it more difficult for aircraft to move through Nairobi according to their planned schedules.
The combination has created a difficult operating environment for airlines using JKIA as a hub.
RwandAir also reported problems on Sunday, saying it had canceled two flights because of air traffic control challenges at the Nairobi airport.
Passengers Left Waiting for Hours
For passengers, the disruption has meant more than a late departure time on a flight information screen.
Some travelers have spent much of the day waiting for updates, with little certainty about when they will finally be able to leave.
One passenger, Rabbi Mendel Goldman, told Reuters that his flight had been pushed back several times before he was eventually told it had been canceled.
He said the flight was first delayed until about 1 a.m. before another delay moved the expected departure to 4:30 a.m.
When he went to check in at around 3 a.m., he was informed that the flight had been canceled.
The earliest replacement option offered to him was the following night.
By Monday, Goldman said he had already spent about 12 hours at the airport.
His experience shows how quickly an airport disruption can turn into a much longer ordeal, particularly for passengers traveling on international routes where replacement seats may be difficult to find.
Kenya Airways Flights Hit Across Major Routes
Kenya Airways has been among the carriers dealing with the largest number of affected services.
Flight status information for August 31 showed a mixture of delays, cancellations and diversions across the airline’s network.
Several international routes were affected, including services to Mumbai, Addis Ababa, Dubai, Juba, Kigali, Kinshasa, Johannesburg, Lusaka, Lubumbashi and Bujumbura.
Kenya Airways flight KQ205 to Mumbai was listed as canceled, while KQ401 to Addis Ababa was also canceled.
Flights to Dubai, Juba, Kigali and Kinshasa were among those listed as delayed.
KQ584 to Lubumbashi was listed as diverted.
The disruption was not limited to Kenya Airways.
Gulf Air’s GF707 service to Bahrain was listed as canceled, while Air Arabia flight G9734 to Sharjah was delayed.
IndiGo also had a Mumbai service listed as canceled, while Etihad Airways reported a delay affecting its Abu Dhabi service.
For passengers connecting through Nairobi, those changes could have consequences beyond the first leg of their journey.
Dubai, Mumbai and Jeddah Routes Among Those Affected
Some of the affected routes are particularly important for international travelers.
Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Mumbai, Jeddah and Bahrain are major connecting points, meaning passengers traveling through Nairobi may have onward flights waiting for them at the other end.
A delay in Nairobi can therefore create problems well beyond Kenya.
Passengers connecting to another flight should check the status of their entire itinerary and not assume that an onward connection will automatically be protected if the first flight is delayed.
The same applies to travelers with separate tickets.
Missing a connection on a separate booking can leave passengers responsible for arranging a new flight themselves.
Some Flights Still Operating Normally
Despite the disruption, JKIA has not been completely shut down.
A number of services were still listed as scheduled on Monday.
Domestic flights to destinations such as Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret, Malindi, Lodwar, Ukunda and Lamu continued to appear on the airport schedule.
Several international services were also showing as scheduled, including flights to New York, Kilimanjaro, Entebbe, Sharjah, Zanzibar, Doha and Addis Ababa.
The situation can change quickly, however.
A flight appearing as scheduled does not guarantee that it will depart on time, particularly while the labor dispute and ATC constraints continue.
What Passengers Should Do Before Going to JKIA
Travelers scheduled to fly from JKIA on Monday should check directly with their airline before heading to the airport.
Passengers should also allow extra time if their flight is still operating.
Those with connecting flights should pay particular attention to their onward sectors. A lengthy delay in Nairobi could affect a connection even if the second flight remains on schedule.
Passengers whose flights have already been canceled should contact their airline about rebooking and alternative travel arrangements.
It may also be worth checking hotel bookings, airport transfers and other arrangements that depend on a specific arrival time.
Strike Talks Continue as Disruption Mounts
The immediate question is whether negotiations between KAWU and government representatives can end the industrial action.
For now, the union says the strike remains in place while discussions continue.
That means further disruption at JKIA cannot be ruled out.
Airlines will also have to deal with the knock-on effects of the current problems. When flights are delayed or canceled, aircraft, crews and passengers can all be left out of position for later services.
For passengers, the safest approach is to keep checking for updates rather than relying on the original itinerary.
The disruption at JKIA is developing on two fronts: a labor dispute involving airport workers and operational constraints affecting air traffic control.
Until those issues are resolved, travelers passing through Nairobi should be prepared for possible delays, cancellations and changes to their plans.
For more on similar developments, see: Narok Airport to Boost Maasai Mara Tourism Access
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