Kenya Airways issues urgent JKIA update as passengers face delays of more than 6 hours

Kenya Airways has issued a fresh warning to passengers travelling through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) after flight delays stretched beyond six hours amid ongoing disruption caused by industrial action by Air Traffic Control (ATC) workers.

In a customer update issued on Monday, August 31, 2026, the national carrier said the disruption had created a significant flight backlog, forcing it to reschedule and cancel some services as its teams worked to manage the situation.

“We are experiencing delays of more than 6 hours, and due to the flight backlog, we have had to reschedule and cancel some flights,” Kenya Airways said.

The airline subsequently urged passengers not to make their way to JKIA unless they had confirmed that their flights were operating, as teams continued reorganising affected schedules and working to minimise the impact of the disruption.

“We advise our customers to only come to the airport once they have a confirmed flight,” the airline said.

Flights rescheduled and cancelled

Kenya Airways said its teams were working around the clock to reorganise affected flights and proactively reschedule services as the situation continued to evolve.

“Our teams are working round the clock to manage the situation, rescheduling flights proactively in order to minimise the impact of the disruption as the situation evolves,” the carrier said.

The airline noted that the growing backlog had already resulted in some flights being cancelled, while others have been moved to later times as efforts continue to restore normal operations.

The prolonged disruption left passengers facing lengthy waits and uncertainty, with travellers forced to keep checking for updates as airlines adjust their schedules in response to the situation at JKIA.

Kenya Airways therefore asked passengers to check their flight status through its official website or the KQ Mobile App before heading to the airport.

The airline also encouraged customers to update their contact information through the Manage Booking section on its website or mobile application to ensure they receive notifications concerning changes to their flights.

“We advise our customers to only come to the airport once they have a confirmed flight. Customers can visit our website www.kenya-airways.com or the KQ Mobile App to see their flight status. We also encourage customers to update their contact information via Manage Booking, on the website or KQ Mobile App, to ensure they receive the latest travel notifications,” it wrote.

Other guidelines

The latest advisory means passengers with flights scheduled out of JKIA have been strongly encouraged to confirm their travel status before setting out for the airport.

Kenya Airways also announced that passengers whose journeys have been affected by the disruption can change or reschedule their flights without incurring a penalty.

“Customers who would like to change/reschedule their flights can do so without penalty,” the carrier said.

The airline apologised to travellers for the inconvenience caused by the disruption, while assuring them that the safety of passengers and crew remained its highest priority.

“We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused by this disruption. The safety of our customers and crew remains our highest priority, and we appreciate their patience and understanding as we work to resolve this disruption,” Kenya Airways said.

The carrier’s latest update comes as aviation workers continue an industrial action that has disrupted operations at JKIA and other major airports in Kenya.

The strike began on Sunday, August 30, 2026, amid unresolved grievances between aviation workers and their employers, with the disruption subsequently affecting flight schedules and leaving thousands of travellers facing delays.

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