Kenya Airways has announced that it expects to resume normal flight operations by Wednesday, September 2, 2026, following the suspension of an industrial action by aviation workers.
The national carrier said its teams were working to clear a backlog of flights after members of the Kenya Aviation Workers’ Union (KAWU) called off their strike on Tuesday.
In a notice to customers, Kenya Airways said passengers should continue to expect some delays as it works to restore its flight schedules.
“Following the Air Traffic Control Workers’ strike call-off this morning, our teams have been proactively working through the flight backlog to restore normal operations,” Kenya Airways said.
“Customers should expect some delays as our teams restore flight schedules. We anticipate resuming our normal schedule operation by Wednesday, September 2, 2026.”
The airline said affected customers would receive flight status notifications through SMS, WhatsApp and email.
Kenya Airways also urged passengers to check their flight status and the latest updates through its official website and mobile application.
Customers seeking to reschedule affected flights may do so, although additional charges may apply.
The update came shortly after KAWU called off its nationwide industrial action following an agreement with the government and aviation sector employers.
KAWU signed a return-to-work agreement with the Ministry of Transport, Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and Jambojet on Tuesday.
Under the agreement, union members were directed to resume their duties immediately and cooperate with management to restore normal airport operations.
“In consideration of the foregoing agreements and commitments, KAWU calls off the industrial action and advises all its affected members to resume normal duties immediately upon execution of this Return-to-Work Agreement,” the agreement stated.
The strike had disrupted operations at several Kenyan airports, including Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Moi International Airport, Eldoret International Airport and Kisumu International Airport.
One of the key issues addressed in the agreement was the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between KAWU and KCAA.
The two sides agreed to commence negotiations immediately, with KCAA management committing to honour and implement the outcome of the talks.
Salary negotiations will be conducted in line with guidelines issued by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) on September 1, 2026.
The union had raised concerns over earlier SRC guidelines issued in July. The parties agreed that outstanding issues would be addressed through the negotiations.
The agreement also provided that employees who participated in the strike would not be victimised, intimidated, discriminated against or subjected to disciplinary action because of their participation.
KAWU also raised the issue of a recognition agreement with Jambojet.
The matter will await determination by the courts, according to the return-to-work agreement.
The parties further agreed that KAA would immediately remit agency fees owed to KAWU, which had previously been withheld by the authority.
KAWU Secretary General Moss Ndiema confirmed that the strike had been called off and urged members to return to work.
“We have effectively called off the strike and urge our members to resume duties immediately. We hope to start talks on the outstanding issues in two or three days,” Ndiema said.
Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir said the negotiations would be guided by SRC guidelines.
“We apologise for the inconvenience caused by the strike and wish to assure the workers we are committed to agree on their issues,” Chirchir said.
The strike began on Sunday after aviation workers downed their tools over grievances involving KCAA, KAA and Jambojet.
The industrial action severely disrupted operations at JKIA, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded.
Some travellers spent the night at airport terminals while waiting for airlines to provide updates on their flights.
Others were transferred to hotels, while some passengers cancelled their journeys because of the uncertainty surrounding their travel plans.
Kenya Airways had earlier reported delays of more than six hours and the cancellation of some flights because of the growing backlog.
Jambojet also reported significant disruption, with only two of its 55 scheduled flights having operated by 11:30am on Monday.
KAA had also warned passengers that some departing flights were experiencing delays at airports across the country and advised travellers to confirm their flight status with their respective airlines before travelling.
The government apologised to passengers affected by the disruption.
Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said the government regretted the impact of the disruption on passengers, airlines and businesses.
“We deeply regret the inconvenience caused to passengers whose journeys have been disrupted,” Mudavadi said.
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