Flight operations at Nairobi’s main airport resumed Tuesday following a two-day standoff that left thousands of travelers facing significant delays and cancellations.
The “go-slow” protest, staged by aviation workers across Kenya on Sunday and Monday, caused widespread paralysis at major transit points, effectively grounding travel across the East African nation.
This two-day walkout marks the latest escalation in a long-standing dispute, as aviation unions continue to press for the formalization of a new collective bargaining agreement.
Beyond wage negotiations, union leaders are demanding a structural shift in staffing policies, specifically calling for an end to the reliance on volunteer personnel.
Kenya’s Civil Aviation Authority confirmed in a formal statement that both parties have reached a consensus on a strategic roadmap to resolve the impasse.
As part of the immediate resolution, the Airports Authority has committed to releasing overdue agency fees currently owed to the various labor unions.
Formal negotiations regarding the collective bargaining agreement are set to restart, with the aviation authority pledging to implement the final terms of the deal.
The disruption hit the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport particularly hard, threatening its status as a critical regional transit hub and a pillar of Kenya’s tourism sector.
Kenya’s transport minister emphasized the government’s role in brokering the peace, noting that the economic toll of the shutdown was substantial.
While Kenya Airways is actively working to normalize its schedule, the national carrier cautioned that residual delays may persist throughout Wednesday.
