KAA urges passengers to check with airlines as JKIA strike disrupts flights

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Passengers using Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport are facing significant travel disruption as industrial action affecting air traffic control services triggers widespread flight delays and cancellations, prompting Kenya Airports Authority advisories urging travellers to liaise directly with airlines.

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KAA urges passengers to check with airlines as JKIA strike disrupts flights

Industrial action causes sustained disruption at Kenya’s main gateway

Flight operations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) continued to be heavily disrupted on Monday, August 31, 2026, as an aviation workers’ strike entered its second day. Published coverage indicates that industrial action involving aviation staff has affected air traffic control services, limiting the flow of departures and arrivals at Kenya’s busiest airport.

Reports from local media describe delays and cancellations across multiple carriers, with JKIA bearing the brunt due to its role as the country’s primary international hub. The disruption began on Sunday, August 30, when workers linked to airport and civil aviation agencies reportedly embarked on a go-slow, slowing aircraft movements and leaving passengers waiting for hours in terminal buildings.

As the situation extended into Monday, coverage from Kenyan outlets noted that the operational challenges had evolved into a wider national air travel issue, with knock-on impacts reported at other airports in the country. However, JKIA remains at the center of the disruption, affecting both regional and long-haul connections.

News reports also indicate that some passengers have been transferred to nearby hotels as airlines attempt to manage overnight delays and rebookings. Images circulating in local media show long queues, crowded check-in halls and departure lounges, and passengers resting on terminal seats while awaiting updates.

KAA advisories urge passengers to liaise directly with airlines

In response to the continued disruption, Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has issued a series of public advisories asking passengers to contact their airlines directly for the latest information on flight status. According to published statements cited in local news reports, the authority notes that the ongoing disruption to air traffic control services is affecting scheduled operations and that some flights are subject to significant delays or cancellations.

The advisories emphasize that airlines remain the primary source for real-time updates on individual bookings, including revised departure times, re-routing options, and potential cancellations. Passengers are being encouraged to confirm the status of their flights before travelling to the airport in order to reduce crowding in terminal areas and to avoid unnecessary trips during periods of uncertainty.

Coverage from multiple outlets highlights consistent messaging from KAA that it is coordinating with airlines and aviation stakeholders to manage the impact on operations while prioritizing safe and orderly airport functioning. The authority’s notices also reference efforts to minimize inconvenience to passengers, even as it acknowledges that irregular schedules are likely to persist while the industrial action continues.

Information published by local media further indicates that KAA is positioning its advisories as part of a broader communication effort, directing travellers to stay in contact with carriers and to use official airline channels, such as websites and mobile applications, for confirmation of changes.

Airlines adjust schedules and advise travellers of delays

Major carriers operating through JKIA have also issued their own updates as the disruption unfolds. Publicly available information from at least one national airline shows that flights into and out of Nairobi are experiencing average delays of several hours, with some services rescheduled or cancelled as operational constraints continue to affect air traffic control capacity.

Airlines are advising customers to ensure that their contact details are up to date and to monitor booking management tools for notifications about schedule changes. Some carriers report that they are proactively reaching out to affected passengers by email, text message and app alerts, while others are encouraging travellers to check directly with customer service teams before heading to the airport.

Media coverage notes that airlines have activated contingency plans, including consolidating flights, adjusting departure times and, where necessary, arranging accommodation for stranded passengers. However, capacity constraints and the evolving nature of the industrial action mean that rebooking options may be limited on certain routes, particularly during peak travel periods.

Despite these measures, reports from passengers shared in local and regional coverage indicate long waits and, in some cases, confusion over changing departure information. This has underscored the importance of early and frequent communication between travellers and their airlines as the situation remains fluid.

National impact and what travellers should expect in coming days

Advisories published on Monday suggest that the impact of the aviation workers’ strike is no longer confined solely to JKIA. KAA statements cited in Kenyan media describe a broader air travel crisis affecting multiple airports across the country, with disruptions linked to reduced air traffic control capacity and operational slowdowns.

With air traffic management central to the safe movement of aircraft, even partial service reductions can ripple across the network, leading to knock-on delays at airports beyond Nairobi. As a result, passengers booked on domestic and regional services connecting through JKIA, as well as those flying directly from other Kenyan airports, are being urged to confirm flight status well in advance.

Travel industry observers expect that irregular operations may persist as long as negotiations between workers and aviation authorities continue. While no firm timeline has been set out in public reporting, coverage indicates that both operational agencies and airlines are working to restore normal schedules as soon as conditions allow.

Travellers planning to pass through JKIA and other Kenyan airports in the short term are being encouraged, based on widely available guidance, to allow extra time for check-in and security, remain flexible about potential re-routing, and regularly consult airline channels for the most current information. For many, the key message emerging from KAA’s latest advisories is clear: liaising directly with airlines is essential while the disruption continues to unfold.