Kenya Airways and Jambojet are working through a backlog of delayed flights after air traffic control workers called off a strike that grounded operations at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport for two days.
The Kenya Aviation Workers Union suspended its industrial action on Tuesday, September 1, after signing a return to work agreement with the Ministry of Transport, the Kenya Airports Authority and the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority. The deal followed talks led by Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir and clears the way for both carriers to rebuild their schedules through the week.
What Triggered the Disruption
The strike began on Sunday, August 30, when union members walked out over unresolved pay disputes and a collective bargaining agreement that workers say the government failed to implement despite an earlier framework signed in July. Similar action shut down the airport in February this year over related grievances.
Flights out of JKIA slowed sharply once the strike took hold. Kenya Airways reported delays stretching past six hours on some routes as aircraft and crews fell out of position for later departures, a problem that compounded through the day as the backlog grew. RwandAir cancelled flights on both days of the strike, and Jambojet managed to operate only two of its fifty five scheduled flights on the first day.
The disruption reached beyond passenger travel. Kenya’s fresh produce exporters lost an estimated three million dollars a day as the slowdown held up shipments of flowers, fruit, vegetables and meat, according to industry figures cited in local reporting.
Kenya Airways Targets Wednesday for Normal Schedules
In a customer update issued Tuesday, Kenya Airways said its teams have been proactively clearing the backlog since the strike ended and expect to resume normal scheduled operations by Wednesday, September 2. Passengers should expect continuing delays in the meantime while schedules reset.
The airline will notify affected customers directly through SMS, WhatsApp and email using the contact details on file. Travellers can check flight status or update their contact information through the Manage Booking option on kenya airways.com or the KQ mobile app.
Kenya Airways is also allowing affected customers to rebook their flights at no extra cost. Those needing help can reach the Customer Excellence Centre at +254 711 024 747 or through WhatsApp at +254 705 474 747.
Jambojet Confirms Resumption, Flags Ongoing Delays
Jambojet issued its sixth operational update on the strike early Tuesday morning, confirming that normal flights would resume the same day now that the action has been lifted. The airline cautioned that guests may still face delays as it works through the backlog and restores its full schedule.
Guests with existing bookings affected by the disruption can change or rebook their flights at no extra cost by emailing customersupport@jambojet.com. Flight specific updates will go out by SMS, with further updates posted on the airline’s social media accounts under the handle FlyJambojet. Guests can also reach the airline on +254 711 024 545 or +254 734 104 545.
Looking Ahead
Both carriers say full recovery will take a few days as they work aircraft and crews back into position across their networks. For now, passengers travelling through JKIA, Mombasa, Eldoret or Kisumu should confirm their flight status before heading to the airport, since knock on delays from the strike are likely to continue affecting later departures even as operations return to normal.
