Turkish Airlines Kenya workers threaten strike as aviation chaos deepens at JKIA

The Transport Workers Union – Kenya (TAWU) has issued a 21-day strike notice to Turkish Airlines on February 16, 2026, citing a stalled Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

This action coincides with broader industrial unrest at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), where workers from the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) officially commenced a strike today despite a court order attempting to block it. 

Major flight disruptions are occurring, with both arrivals and departures delayed.Kenya Airways has advised travellers not to proceed to the airport without confirmed flight status updates.

KAWU members are striking against the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) over long-stalled pay reviews (some for over 11 years), failure to finalize a CBA, and the use of temporary contracts for long-term roles.

Although the Employment and Labour Relations Court issued an interim order to halt the strike until February 26, union leaders proceeded with the action starting at 06:00 local time.

The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and KCAA have activated contingency measures to maintain essential safety protocols, though they acknowledge significant service stability issues. 

By Anthony Solly