Some ten thousand passengers are stranded as the Kenya Airways pilots’ strike begins to bite.
Several scheduled flights have been canceled as Kenya Airways (KQ) pilots have threatened to go on strike today, claiming the airline’s management has failed to address their concerns.
Kenya Airways Managing Director Allan Kilavuka says there are 388 pilots on strike, disrupting operations at JKIA and other airports.
Kilavuka said that yesterday the authority spent 5 hours with all stakeholders to try unlock the stalemate.
“Yesterday we spent 5 hours with all stakeholders to try unlock the stalemate. Unfortunately the pilots have decided to go on with the strike” said Kilavuka.
He further said that the authority is trying to get alternative accommodations for stranded passengers as most of the Hotels are full.
According to Kilavuka, KQ has a total of 388 pilots who have gone on strike. According to him, the illegal strike has impacted negatively on the economy of Kenya.
Further, Mr. Kilavuka said that the Government is at a risk of losing Ksh 300 million daily should the strike proceed.
Mr. Kilavuka submitted that as of today, KQ has 6000 tones impacted on cargo.
A crisis meeting yesterday between the Kenya Airline Pilots Association (Kalpa) and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Mukomen failed to reach an agreement by the time this article went to press, resulting in flight cancellations on at least three routes: Nairobi-Entebbe (9.55pm), Nairobi-Lagos (3.30am), and Nairobi-Douala (9.40pm).
The Transport and Infrastructure CS appealed to the pilots to resume duty and save the country’s economy.
CS Murkomen said that the Government was hopeful that a solution will be found soonest
