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Roundup: Kenya Airways pilots call off planned strike following talks

Xinhua, October 18, 2016 Adjust font size:

Pilots working with Kenya Airways on Monday called off their strike, which is scheduled to start Tuesday, following tripartite talks with the government and the airline officials.

Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA) said they have suspended the industrial action pending negotiations with the government.

"In light of the fruitful discussions held between KALPA's Executive Council and the government of Kenya, and extensive consultations within the KALPA membership, we have taken the decision to defer the strike action to accommodate the ongoing negotiations," the union Secretary General Paul Gichinga said in a statement issued in Nairobi.

"It is important to note that we are not withdrawing the strike notice but rather deferring it to a later date," Gichinga added.

The national carrier on Sunday said the staff, including cabin crew had stayed away from work since Friday due to issues with their employer, disrupting air services in several Africa routes.

The airline was forced to cancel five flights to various African destinations and delayed one as a strike by staff members, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded in Nairobi Sunday.

Gichinga said the pilots will not be retreating from their initial position that change for Kenya Airways can only be achieved with an overhaul in leadership.

"We also wish to confirm that as an association with a heavily vested interest in Kenya Airways, we remain committed to contributing in every meaningful way to the airline's recovery and transformation," he said.

The government has already indicated that the airline's Chief Executive Officer Mbuvi Ngunze and Chairman Denis Awori will exit the airline, in an effort to avert the planned strike.

The pilots however want a written commitment that the two will leave the airline.

Kenya Airways, once the most successful airlines in Africa, has been relying heavily on debt to finance its operations following the launch of its overly-ambitious 10-year resource-draining expansion plan dubbed Project Mawingu.

Meanwhile, Kenya Airways has announced that all operations will be as per plan on Tuesday following the suspension of the industrial action. Endit