Kenya aviation workers end strike that paralyzed airport operations in the capital

Two days of crippling work stoppage that shut down large swathes of air travel across Kenya, including its busiest international gateway in Nairobi, has been brought to an abrupt end after union leaders and airport management brokered a last-minute agreement. The Kenya Aviation Workers Union, which launched the go-slow industrial action on Sunday, announced the immediate termination of the strike on Tuesday, confirmed union head Moss Ndiema. The walkout, which impacted not only Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport – a critical regional and international travel hub for East Africa – but also aviation operations across the country, left thousands of passengers trapped, with hundreds of flights canceled or delayed. Since the strike began, travelers have described chaotic scenes across airport terminals, with many forced to sleep on waiting room floors and miss critical personal and professional commitments. Among those stranded was Hellen Moraa, a business traveler who was scheduled to fly to the Netherlands via Dubai. Speaking to reporters at the airport on Monday, Moraa warned the unplanned disruptions would lead to significant financial losses for her, labeling the work stoppage an unfair burden for ordinary passengers. The root of the latest industrial action lies in long-simmering grievances from unionized aviation staff, who have raised complaints over what they call unfair hiring practices, uncompetitive compensation packages, and controversial proposed changes to the senior management structure of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The airport has a long history of repeated, intermittent labor unrest, as workers continue to push for meaningful improvements to both pay scales and working conditions. A comparable work stoppage back in February 2024 also left hundreds of passengers stranded at the hub, highlighting the ongoing instability that has plagued Kenya’s aviation sector for months. Following the announcement of the deal between the union and Kenya Airports Authority, aviation officials have begun the gradual process of clearing the backlog of stranded passengers and rescheduling canceled flights, though travelers are still being advised to expect residual delays over the next 24 hours as operations return to normal.