JKIA strike jolts Kenya’s aviation hub ambitions as airlines count losses

Aircraft at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi on August 31,2026 as flight operations were disrupted over aviation workers' strike. 


Photo credit: Evans Habil | NMG


A two-day strike by airport workers has left Kenyan airlines counting heavy losses, disrupted thousands of passengers and freight customers, and sharpened concerns over whether Nairobi can protect its status as a regional aviation hub while Jomo Kenyatta International Airport struggles with congestion and delayed expansion.