Air travel through Kenya is set to return to normal after aviation sector parties reached an agreement, ending a protest that had disrupted operations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), according to official statements. The disruption resulted in flight disruptions, with airlines including national carrier RwandAir cancelling flights to and from Nairobi. ALSO READ: RwandAir cancels Nairobi flights again amid air traffic control issues Deal reached after high-level talks The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) said Tuesday, September 1, that an agreement had been reached following high-level consultations and negotiations, with the deal taking immediate effect. “The agreement took effect immediately, and normal operations resumed,” KCAA said in a statement signed by its acting Director General, Nicholas Bodo. https://x.com/CAA_Kenya/status/2094647754706260389?s=20 The negotiations were chaired by Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Davis Chirchir, and involved Cabinet Secretary for Labour and Social Protection Alfred Mutua, the Principal Secretaries responsible for Aviation and Aerospace Development and Labour, as well as the chief executive officers of KCAA, the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and Jambojet, a Kenya-based low-cost airline. Also involved were Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) Secretary General Moss Ndiema and Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU-K) Secretary General Francis Atwoli. Among the issues agreed upon was the way forward regarding the Collective Bargaining Agreement between KCAA and KAWU, the Recognition Agreement between KAWU and Jambojet, and the non-victimisation of employees arising from the protest. The development is expected to ease pressure at JKIA, Kenya’s main international gateway and a key hub for regional and international connectivity. Kenyan government apologises over disruption The Kenyan government on Monday, August 31, apologised for the disruption, acknowledging its significant impact on passengers, airlines, businesses and Kenya’s international connectivity. Kenya’s Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs said the government was engaging all parties involved and prioritising the safe and orderly restoration of normal airport operations. “JKIA is a critical national gateway and an important hub for Kenya's trade, tourism, investment, diplomacy and regional connectivity. The government is therefore treating the situation with urgent and seriousness it requires,” Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said in the statement. https://x.com/OfficePCS_KE/status/2094518304941764765?s=20 Airlines work to clear flight backlog Following the end of the protest, airlines have begun working through the backlog of affected flights. Kenya Airways said its teams were “proactively working through the flight backlog to restore normal operations”, although passengers should expect some delays as schedules are restored. https://x.com/KenyaAirways/status/2094653558134014033?s=20 The airline said it anticipates resuming normal scheduled operations by Wednesday, September 2.
