Passengers were stranded at Kenya’s main airport on Tuesday as a strike by air traffic controllers entered a second day, leaving some travellers waiting for hours and others unsure whether their flights would take off at all.
The strike has caused major disruption at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, one of Africa’s busiest air transport hubs.
National carrier Kenya Airways said on Tuesday it was seeing delays of up to four hours for departures. Uganda Airlines said two of its flights had been cancelled, while Jambojet asked passengers not to travel to the airport until instructed.
“We were told to wait until further notice. My family came to see me off, and they are still here waiting with me,” Kenyan passenger Jazzy Mwango told Reuters.
Another Kenyan traveller, Betty Wambui, said she was meant to travel to Egypt via Qatar but was now “totally confused because I don’t know whether I will travel or not”.
The Kenya Aviation Workers Union launched the strike on Monday, despite a court order saying it should not go ahead.
The union’s grievances against the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority include its failure to conclude a collective bargaining agreement and the placement of employees on temporary terms for roles it says are permanent.
The aviation authority has said it wants to resolve the dispute amicably.
The transport minister summoned the union and aviation authority to a meeting on Tuesday to try to break the deadlock.
Ghanaian travellers Harry Frimpong and his twin brother Garry rushed to the airport after being told their flight would take off. But when they arrived, they remained in limbo for several hours.
“It’s really an unfortunate situation, but I understand the workers have to demand for their rights,” Harry said.
