REVEALED: KQ CEO Says They Lost Ksh80M Aviation Workers’ Strike
Allan Kilavuka, CEO of Kenya Airways (KQ), has revealed that the airline lost at least Ksh80 million during the September 11, 2024, strike that paralyzed operations at major airports across the country.
Speaking to a local TV station on Monday, September 23, 2024, Kilavuka stated that the strike had resulted in unexpected losses for the company.
Especially when employees affiliated with the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) went on strike while others demonstrated openly at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
“Strikes are very bad to us; not only are they disruptive and inconveniencing to customers who are very important, but they are also costly,” Kilavuka said.
“For example this strike that happened the other time; if you look at the cost of time, rebooking and paying compensation, it is significant. We are estimating at least Ksh80 million in terms of cost for that one-day disruption.”
KQ CEO Allan Kilavuka says Kenya Airways lost Ksh.80 million following anti-Adani strike at JKIA pic.twitter.com/L13B1jt0Cz
— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) September 23, 2024
KQ, on the other hand, made headlines in June when it reported its first half-year profit in over ten years.
Kilavuka stated at the time that there were high expectations for the year, and that the Ksh513 million half-year profit after tax was due to a 10% increase in passengers and the Kenyan shilling’s strength against the dollar.
During the strike on September 11, 2024, aviation workers protested the secrecy surrounding JKIA’s planned acquisition by an Indian conglomerate, Adani Holdings.
However, KAWU Secretary-General Moss Ndiema called off the strike after reaching an agreement with Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir and COTU President Francis Atwoli.
Chirchir promised the workers that the details of the deal, which calls for a 30-year lease of the country’s main gateway, would be tabled in court for scrutiny.
“We will work together and build points of convergence. We have an agreement,” Chirchir said on September 11, 2024.
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“We are aware that we have been taken to court. We will now present all the documents to the court to ensure the public understands.”
The strike stranded hundreds of passengers at the JKIA, Moi International Airport, and Kisumu International Airport.
The strike caused additional delays at Rwanda’s Kigali Airport and Uganda’s Entebbe Airport.
Airport employees expressed concern that the planned takeover would result in massive job losses and lower pay for remaining employees.
REVEALED: KQ CEO Says They Lost Ksh80M Aviation Workers’ Strike
