Kenya Airways Aircraft Blocked From Leaving JKIA Tomorrow

Kenyans using national carrier Kenya Airways (KQ) from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) have been warned of disruptions from tomorrow morning, Saturday, November 5.

This is after its pilots under the Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA) have threatened to go on strike from Saturday after the airline failed to address its grievances. 

In a statement, the Association’s General Secretary Murithi Nyaga stated that from 6.00 am, there shall be no KQ aircraft departing from JKIA being flown by a KALPA member.

"Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA), the representative voice of all pilots in the country, Kenya Airways included, wishes to inform members of the public that beginning Saturday, November 5 from 6.00 am local time, there shall be no Kenya Airways aircraft departing Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) flown by a KALPA member," read the statement in part.

KALPA officials speaking to journalists in Nairobi. /CAPITAL GROUP

Nyaga added that KALPA had issued a 14-day industrial action notice to the airline's management in its last-ditch efforts to secure better working conditions for its members, but it has not made any meaningful attempt to engage them and have the issues they raised addressed.

“On October 19 2022, the Association issued a 14-day industrial action notice to the management of Kenya Airways, as the last resort in our attempts to seek better working conditions for our members and ensure that Kenya Airways is managed professionally,” he stated.

“The strike notice has since expired and we are therefore at liberty to exercise our right to withdraw our labour forthwith as enshrined in Article 41, Chapter 4 of the Kenyan constitution.”

KALPA apologised to passengers who might be affected by the notice of going on strike and regretted any inconvenience caused on their travel plans.

Kenya Airways had previously been granted an injunction which blocked airline pilots from carrying out the strike, with a mention for further order set for Tuesday, November 8.

The airline's board had also said that none of the grievances advanced by KALPA had merited an industrial strike.

It noted that KALPA’s demands have changed from grievances on the suspension of the Provident Fund, the Ab Initio Loan fund, Annual Leave, and other issues to outright demands for the resignation of the Management team, particularly the CEO, Allan Kilavuka.

“The Board reiterates that industrial action is unnecessary at this point as it will delay and disrupt the financial and operational recovery, causing reputational damage to Kenya Airways,” the statement signed by KQ Board Chair Michael Joseph read.

The national carrier also warned that the negative impact of the strike would also affect thousands of employees and the vast ecosystem the airline supports.