Pilot Association Issues Statement After Aviation Workers' Strike Enters Second Day

Pilot Association Issues Statement After Aviation Workers’ Strike Enters Second Day

The Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA) has cautioned that prolonged disruptions caused by the Kenya Aviation Workers Union’s (KAWU) strike may increase tiredness risks for flight crews, raising the likelihood of a tragedy.

According to KAPLA, this is primarily due to delays, cancellations, and diversions, which result in irregular schedules and longer duty periods for pilots.

According to the association, the pandemonium caused by the go-slow has reduced the time available for mandatory rest between shifts, thereby compromising the regulatory restrictions on Flight Duty Periods.

Passengers with scheduled flights out of Kenya's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport are being urged to contact their carriers for the latest information. Many airlines say their flights are delayed due to a strike by the Kenya Aviation Workers Union. The Kenyan Airlines Pilots… pic.twitter.com/1q8AWnMb8i
— CGTN Africa (@cgtnafrica) February 17, 2026

This, it claims, could jeopardize flight safety, emphasizing that regulations should never be compromised.

“These regulatory safeguards exist to mitigate fatigue and ensure that flight operations are conducted within internationally accepted safety parameters. Under no circumstances should operational pressures be allowed to compromise these limits,” the union stated.

The pilots acknowledged the ongoing strikes and appealed for negotiations between KAWU and the administration.

“While we acknowledge the challenges currently facing the sector, we reiterate that labour matters are best resolved through constructive, good-faith dialogue,” they added.

NO FLYING !

Several passengers were stranded at airports across Kenya

Aviation workers downed tools over terms of service

JKIA was the worst hit by the industrial action

Several flights were delayed or rescheduled

Kenya Aviation Workers Union warns of a full-scale strike… pic.twitter.com/DfyrzmBHO1
— KBC Channel 1 News (@KBCChannel1) February 16, 2026

The Environmental and Labour Relations Courts issued a provisional order halting the strike pending a hearing on February 26.

Despite the injunction, KAWU Secretary General Moss Ndiema declared that the union will not beg or approach management on its knees.

He insisted that the strike was an honest act of last resort, motivated by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority’s (KCAA) “insensitive and chest-thumping attitude.”

KAWU has accused KAA and other aviation management bodies of several grievances in its continuing dispute.

KAWU claims that persistent issues about labor terms, employment practices, and worker welfare have not been appropriately addressed, causing the strike action.

According to KAWU, airport workers have been adversely affected by the failed or delayed implementation of collective bargaining agreements with management, with key provisions remaining unresolved for years.

The union has also accused authorities of unfair labour practices, including failure to conduct regular salary reviews for long‑serving employees, delays in promotions, and restrictions on full unionisation of eligible staff.

These wrangles have affected transport service delivery in JKIA, causing delayed flights and flight adjustments.

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KCAA has also activated contingency protocols to maintain critical air traffic and safety services.

Kenyans and those visiting the country have lamented the delays, with Philip Etale, ODM Communications Director, putting his opinion out.

“My flight from Mombasa to Nairobi, which had been scheduled for 1310Hrs, was cancelled at 12:15am… ending my 15-hour wait at the Mombasa airport.”

Adding, “I could see children wailing, passengers who included dozens of tourists resting on the floor of the lobby helplessly.”

Pilot Association Issues Statement After Aviation Workers’ Strike Enters Second Day

Tags: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport(JKIA)