Flight operations have resumed across Kenya following the suspension of a two-day strike by aviation workers that disrupted services and left thousands of passengers stranded.
The industrial action, which began on Sunday, caused widespread delays and cancellations at airports in Nairobi and other parts of the East African country.
The strike was the latest in a series of labour disputes involving aviation unions, which are demanding a new collective bargaining agreement and an end to the use of volunteer workers in the sector.
Kenya’s Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) said the unions and the authorities had reached an agreement on a framework for resolving the dispute.
Under the agreement, the unions are expected to receive agency fees owed to them by the Kenya Airports Authority, while negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement will resume.
The aviation authority also committed to implementing the outcome of the negotiations.
Kenya’s Transport Minister said the government had intervened to broker an agreement between the parties, warning that the strike had caused significant economic losses.
“The loss to the economy… has been huge,” the minister said.
The disruption was particularly significant at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, one of East Africa’s busiest aviation hubs and a major gateway for Kenya’s tourism industry.
Kenya Airways, the country’s national carrier, said it was working to restore its normal flight schedule following the suspension of the strike.
However, the airline warned passengers that delays could continue until Wednesday as it works to clear the backlog created by the two-day disruption.
The resumption of flights is expected to ease pressure on thousands of travellers who were unable to reach their destinations during the industrial action.
