Hundreds of travelers are stranded at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi as regional airlines suspend flights due to an ongoing strike by the airport staff. The strike, which began at midnight on September 11, 2024, is in response to the Kenyan government’s plan to lease JKIA to an Indian company, Adani Group, for 30 years.
In a statement released on the official X handle on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, Uganda Airlines already announced delays for the day’s flights to Nairobi.
“Due to ongoing staff strikes at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, there will be delays on Nairobi flights and possible disruptions on our regional flights today,” the statement read in part.
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RwandAir also cancelled flights WB452/WB453 from Kigali to Nairobi and back on September 11, 2024, and promised the affected passengers that their flights will be rebooked on the next available slots.
The strike was organized by the Kenya Aviation Workers Union, which represents airport staff, calling the lease “unlawful” and that it threatens the livelihoods of Kenyan workers by potentially replacing them with foreign employees under inferior terms.
According to the Kenyan government, the partnership, worth approximately $1.85 billion (over UGX 6.8 trillion), aims to modernize JKIA, which operates above capacity, by investing in infrastructure improvements, including a new runway and terminal. However, union representatives argued that the deal would lead to job losses and unfavorable employment conditions for the remaining staff.
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The High Court, on September 9, 2024, temporarily blocked the implementation of the deal to allow for a judicial review by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) and the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), who filed a legal challenge against the lease agreement, arguing that it lacks transparency.
Other regional carriers are expected to cancel flights to JKIA as the strike continues to disrupt operations at JKIA, which serves as a major hub for air travel in East Africa, handling over 40 passenger airlines and 25 cargo airlines annually.
