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The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority has assured passengers that the strike by a section of staff at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport has not affected the Air Traffic Control towers.
In a statement on Wednesday, KCAA director general Gilbert Kibe said Air Traffic Control (ATC) staff were not the party to the strike.
“Aircrafts ready for take-off and landing are expeditiously facilitated at all airports. The Kenya Airways flight to Amsterdam has boarded and been cleared for take-off,” Kibe said.
He said the backlog of delayed flights as a result of the strike will soon start to reduce.
The Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) had earlier claimed that ATC staff were part of their strike.
Read: JKIA crisis: CS Ukur Yattani forms conciliation team
The court on Tuesday declared the strike illegal and urged KAWU officials to call if off pending an inter-party hearing on Friday.
The union, however, ignored the order and went on strike on Wednesday, paralysing operations at JKIA leading to at least 26 delayed flights.
Labour CS Ukur Yattani later formed a three-member conciliatory committee to expedite talks between KAWU and KAA.
He said the team should compile its report within 30 days.
KAWU members went on strike to protest a proposed takeover of JKIA by Kenya Airways.
They said the national carrier is a loss-making entity that will lead to job losses.
Transport CS James Macharia dismissed the allegation saying talks on the proposed take over haven’t’ even been finalised.
He said even if they are, no one will lose jobs.
“We are talking about hiring more people to run the facility not to fire people,” Macharia said on Wednesday.
Also read; Aviation workers strike illegal, union officials to be charged – CS Macharia
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