Kaleyesus Bekele

The management and pilots of Kenya Airways have reached a standoff after negotiations on how to address a pilots’ shortage hit a snag.&nbsp;The pilots, who threatened to take industrial action, seek government intervention to resolve the dispute. The Kenya Airline Pilots Association (Kalpa) has suspended talks with management over a collective bargaining agreement after engaging in a heated debate over the airline’s attempt to hire 20 pilots on a contract basis to fly Boeing 737s.

 


Kenya’s employment roles now include 435 pilots against a requirement of 497, according to the airline’s director of operations Paul Njoroge.

 


In a letter to Kenya Airways outgoing CEO Sebastian Mikosz, Kalpa general-secretary Murithi Nyagah said that the engagements would come to a halt until management engages in “fair and honest” talks. “The Association hereby suspends participation in CBA negotiations due to gross violations of the CBA and the lack of goodwill thereof from management,” said Nyagah.

 


Kenya Airways pilots now seek a government-appointed mediator to arbitrate, insisting that failure to resolve the labor standoff will lead to a halt in operations. On Monday the pilots association sent a letter to Labor cabinet secretary Ukur Yatani accusing airline management of breaching sections of the current pilot contract. “We request you to urgently appoint a conciliator to assist the parties to resolve the dispute to avoid eminent industrial unrest,” the letter stated.

 


Kenya Airways called the halt in negotiations a suspension in talks&nbsp;and said that they would resume when the trade dispute mechanism takes its course. Company officials fear that a prolonged industrial action would push the debt-laden airline deeper into debt. Kenya Airways’ half-year loss to the end of June more than doubled compared with the same period a year earlier, to $83 million.&nbsp;&nbsp;

 


Mikosz called the pilot’s threat of a strike “an emotional way” of attempting to gain leverage in the negotiations.&nbsp;“We have a legacy in costs and the only way we will control them is by flying more and keeping our market share,” he said. “We need to open more destinations and we cannot do this without the [contract] pilots.

News about commercial airlines, including regulations, aircraft orders, safety, acquisitions, and mergers.

Kenya Airways in Standoff with Aggrieved Pilots

A strike looms at the Kenyan national carrier as pilots object to the hiring of contract flight deck crew.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charles Alcock

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Aircraft will support new medium- and long-haul routes out of Dubai

Emirates Receives the First of 65 A350-900 Airliners

Hanneke Weitering

News and issues regarding all manner of civil and military rotorcraft and their powerplants, including helicopters, tilt rotors and unmanned air vehicles.

Archer plans demo flight at 2025 World Expo in Osaka

JAL/Sumitomo Subsidiary Soracle To Operate Archer’s eVTOL in Japan

New developments at airports including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

Britain's new government is under pressure to invest in public infrastructure

How Regional Air Mobility Could Boost the UK's Strained Transport Network

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

More In Airlines

Emirates Receives the First of 65 A350-900 Airliners

Aircraft will support new medium- and long-haul routes out of Dubai

JAL/Sumitomo Subsidiary Soracle To Operate Archer’s eVTOL in Japan

Archer plans demo flight at 2025 World Expo in Osaka

How Regional Air Mobility Could Boost the UK's Strained Transport Network

Britain's new government is under pressure to invest in public infrastructure

Nordic Seaplanes Signs for Elfly's Noemi Electric Amphibious Aircraft

Danish charter and scheduled operator could buy up to 15 of the electric seaplanes

Fiji Airways Plans To Connect Pacific Islands with Laila VTOL

Odys' blown-wing design is being developed for both uncrewed freighter and piloted airliner roles

Loganair and Heart Team To Decarbonize UK Domestic Flights

Scotland-based regional airline aims to achieve zero carbon emissions

Ecojet Plans To Operate Arc Aerosystems' Linx P9 Hybrid Helicopter

UK green start-up airline wants to operate domestic services with zero carbon emissions

Ryanair to Use Jeppesen FliteDeck Pro 5.0 EFB

The Boeing electronic flight bag solution will support the low-cost carrier’s 737NG and Max fleet

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN