Flights have been disrupted at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi after aviation workers went on strike.
The striking staff, who downed their tools in the small hours of Wednesday, are unhappy with the board of management, unfair staff hiring and compensation and proposed takeover of the airport by Kenya Airways.
The strike caught many passengers by surprise and has led to a crisis at one of Sub-Saharan Africa’s busiest airports.
KAA in a statement on Tuesday said the strike notice dated February 27 by the Kenya Aviation Workers Union stands suspended following the issuance of an order of injunction by the Employment and Labour Relations court on March 5.
“We wish to assure the general public of normal operations at all our Airports,” KAA tweeted.
KAA had on Tuesday, in a media advisory, assured travellers that flights would not be disrupted.
“The strike notice dated February 27, 2019, by Kenya Aviation Workers Union stands suspended following issuance of an order of injunction by the Employment and Labour Relations court on March 5, 2019. We wish to assure the general public of normal operations at all our airports,” KAA said.
A similar message had also been posted online by the national flag carrier, Kenya Airways which had assured its customers of “normal operations” after the court ruling.
But they were in for a rude shock when Kawu pressed ahead with the strike despite the court order, a move that is threatening to ground all aviation operations in Kenya.