The Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA) has warned of increased fatigue risks for flight crews due to disruptions from an ongoing strike by the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU), potentially compromising flight safety. This concern arises from delays, cancellations, and diversions leading to unpredictable schedules and extended duty periods for pilots.

• The strike has led to a reduction in mandatory rest time between shifts for pilots, affecting regulatory limits on Flight Duty Periods (FDP).
• KALPA emphasized that operational pressures should not compromise regulatory safeguards, which mitigate fatigue and ensure flight operations are within internationally accepted safety parameters.
• Despite a temporary court order blocking the strike until February 26, KAWU Secretary General Moss Ndiema stated the union would not back down, citing the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority’s (KCAA) “insensitive and chest-thumping attitude.”
• KAWU accuses Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and other aviation management bodies of not addressing longstanding concerns over labor terms, employment practices, and worker welfare, including stalled collective bargaining agreements and unfair labor practices.