Kenya aviation workers called off a crippling two-day strike on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, after signing a return-to-work agreement with the government. The industrial action by air traffic controllers and other personnel had grounded flights, stranded hundreds of passengers at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, and disrupted regional travel across East Africa.
Return-to-Work Agreement Ends Airport Paralysis
Kenya’s aviation sector moved toward normalcy on Tuesday as the Kenya Aviation Workers Union called off the strike following negotiations that lasted for more than 10 hours. Transport Minister Davis Chirchir and aviation workers union head, Moss Ndiema, said on Tuesday that the strike, mostly by air traffic controllers on Sunday and Monday, disrupted several flights into and out of the main Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and delays spilt over to regional airports in East Africa and beyond.
The strike disrupted operations at four airports, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Moi International Airport, Eldoret International Airport and Kisumu International Airport. Passengers leave Kisumu International Airport terminal on August 31, 2026, after arriving for scheduled flights that were unavailable following an aviation workers’ strike, with photo credit given to Alex Odhiambo from the Nation Media Group. The strike had left hundreds of passengers stranded, with flight operations disrupted as air traffic controllers and other staff from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) and Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) staged a go-slow. Among the most affected airports were Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi and Moi International Airport in Mombasa, as all airport operations ground to a near halt.
We are simply calling off our strike action and pleading with our members to begin the process of normalising operations, restoring services,
Moss Ndiema, the head of the workers’ union, told a press conference on Tuesday. For those who are on duty, we are asking them to begin clearing flights.
I've been stuck at JKIA for 3 days,
noted passengers after two days of strike action that brought airport activities to a standstill, resulting in flight delays and cancellations.
Grievances Behind the Walkout and New Negotiation Terms
The industrial action involved suspended collective bargaining agreements. The return-to-work agreement was signed after a meeting convened by Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir on Monday evening and attended by representatives of KAWU, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), and Jambojet. A letter signed by KAWU, the ministry, KCAA, KAA and Jambojet stated: 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.
Under the agreement, KAWU and KCAA will proceed immediately with negotiations for a Collective Bargaining Agreement, with KCAA management committing to honour and implement the outcome. Salary talks will follow guidelines issued by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) on Tuesday. The Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between KAWU and Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), which was among the issues on the table, was withdrawn by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), replacing it immediately with new parameters which will be issued based on the agreements. Therefore, KAWU and KCAA shall…
proceed under these parameters. KAWU also wants a recognition agreement with Jambojet, a matter that now awaits a court determination.
The employees shall resume their respective duties and cooperate with management to ensure the immediate restoration and continuity of normal operations,
the agreement states. The agreement was reached on August 31, 2026, after the strike disrupted operations at airports, resulting in delays and cancellations of flights and inconveniencing travellers.
Airlines Clear Backlogs and Waive Rebooking Fees
Airlines have warned of possible delays as they work to restore normal flight operations after air traffic control workers called off their strike on Tuesday. Kenya Airways said its teams had started working through the backlog created by the strike and that passengers should expect some delays as flight schedules are restored. The national carrier noted that it expects to return to normal scheduled operations by Wednesday, September 2, 2026.
Customers should expect some delays as our teams restore flight schedules. We anticipate resuming our normal scheduled operations by Wednesday, September 2, 2026,
it said. The airline said affected customers will receive flight status updates through SMS, WhatsApp and email using the contact details provided when making their booking.
Kenya Airways announced it would waive rebooking fees for passengers affected by an Air Traffic Control workers’ strike that disrupted flights. The airline said affected customers could reschedule their flights at no additional cost through its website, mobile app, or customer care line. Kenya Airways warned passengers to expect some delays as it worked to clear a flight backlog following the strike’s call-off. TUKO.co.ke journalist Japhet Ruto has over eight years of experience in financial, business, and technology reporting, offering insights into Kenyan and global economic trends. Kenya Airways announced it will allow affected passengers to rebook their flights free of charge following the disruption caused by an Air Traffic Control (ATC) workers’ strike, which was called off on September 1, 2026. Kenya Airways expects normal operations to resume on Wednesday, September 2, with the update issued through its Corporate Communications department.