Airlines at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) are now calculating how much money they lost after a short but disruptive two-day workers’ strike.
The strike was organised by the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) and began on Monday, and it forced many flights to be cancelled or delayed because workers stopped their normal duties.
Although the strike was called off on Tuesday, it caused significant operational disruption during those two days.
Jambojet
The airline was hit hard. Out of 64 scheduled return flights, it managed to operate only 23 during the strike. That meant around 5,000 passengers were affected. The CEO, Karanja Ndegwa, said this led to real financial losses because of cancelled flights, refunds, and extra operational costs.
Safarilink
Delays of up to six hours on the ground increased fuel use and maintenance costs. The airline also had to offer full refunds or free rebooking to customers since the delays were beyond its control.
Also Read: Aviation Workers Call Off Strike After Agreement With Transport CS
Kenya Airways (KQ)
The national carrier confirmed disruptions from the strike but said the impact on its overall fleet use and international operations was limited.
Its internal disruption management team has been handling costs related to the delays.
Even though the industrial action was brief, airlines now face the financial consequences of disrupted schedules, refund obligations, and additional fuel and maintenance expenses.
The government’s Transport Ministry helped broker the agreement that ended the strike.
