Airlines hurt as traffic controllers go-slow bites
Wananchi wait to see off relatives at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. A fresh round of flight disruptions has hit airlines at Kenya’s airports after traffic controllers started a go-slow two days ago following disagreements between their union and the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA). Photo/FILE
What you need to know:
The go-slow comes only weeks after Kenya Airways pilots withdrew their goodwill which caused flight delays and cancellations.
KQ said the standoff was caused by misinterpretation of rules on working procedures. Players in the aviation sector including KQ, KCAA, and Kenya Airports Authority, have faced labour unrest in the push for higher wages.
A fresh round of flight disruptions has hit airlines at Kenya’s airports after traffic controllers started a go-slow two days ago following disagreements between their union and the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA).
The controllers withdrew their goodwill on Monday on what union officials attributed to failure to implement the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) which was signed last year following a similar go-slow.
Goodwill is an agreement between management and union workers that requires staff to voluntarily work for certain hours while off-duty.
“The workers are not happy. There are some things pending with the CBA negotiations that we agreed upon. At this point I can’t’ say what they are,” said Nicholas Baraza, the Aviation and Allied Workers Union (AAWU) secretary-general.
“The CBA has been implemented half-way and the workers just got irritated,” said Mr Baraza.
He said that the union issued KCAA with a seven-day notification last Thursday, adding that they had not ruled out issuing a strike notice. AAWU represents over 300 workers in KCAA. The Business Daily failed to get a comment from the KCAA.
The go-slow comes only weeks after Kenya Airways pilots withdrew their goodwill which caused flight delays and cancellations.
KQ said the standoff was caused by misinterpretation of rules on working procedures. Players in the aviation sector including KQ, KCAA, and Kenya Airports Authority, have faced labour unrest in the push for higher wages.
The go-slow by air traffic controllers has affected airline schedules, with delays reported especially at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
“Since Monday, we have seen delays of 30 to 40 minutes,” said Fly 540’s director of compliance and government affairs Nixon Ooko.
KQ communication manager Chris Karanja said the airline had also been affected, though minimally.
Nairobi’s growth as a major aviation hub has seen it attract more traffic at JKIA.
To cater for increased air traffic, the country’s air space was divided into two; allowing for more air traffic.
