Thousands of passengers experienced significant flight delays at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi on Monday as a strike by airport workers entered its second day. The Kenya Aviation Workers’ Union (KAWU) attributed the industrial action to unresolved grievances, including the failure to finalize a collective bargaining agreement with the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) and a lack of cooperation from both the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and Jambojet, a subsidiary of Kenya Airways.

The strike led to disruptions across the airport’s operations, with some flights delayed or canceled. RwandAir, the national carrier of Rwanda, announced the cancellation of two flights on Sunday, attributing the disruption to air traffic control challenges at Nairobi’s airport. Passengers reported prolonged waiting times and uncertainty about their travel plans. Rabbi Mendel Goldman, who was en route to a wedding in Florida, described waiting over 12 hours at the airport after his flight was delayed multiple times before ultimately being canceled. The earliest alternative flight available to him was scheduled for the following evening.

KAA acknowledged delays affecting some flights as of Sunday but did not provide explanations or respond to further inquiries on Monday. Similarly, the KCAA and Jambojet had not issued comments by the time of reporting.

Efforts to resolve the dispute continued, with union representatives and government officials holding talks on Sunday. Moss Ndiema, Secretary General of KAWU, stated that while discussions had taken place, no resolution was reached, and the strike action remained in effect. Further negotiations were scheduled for Monday at 11 a.m.

The ongoing strike highlights tensions between aviation workers and regulatory and airport authorities, raising concerns about operational stability at one of East Africa’s busiest air travel hubs.