Kenya Airways resumes flights after strike by pilots

Kenya Airways resumed normal operations yesterday, bringing to an end a weekend strike by pilots which had left many passengers stranded.The pilots had earlier withdrawn their “goodwill” with the management of the airline, citing a misunderstanding on on-going Collective Bargain Agreement negotiations with their union and management.Asked to explain, Kenya Airways said in a statement that “Goodwill” is when pilots are voluntarily available to work for certain hours during off time but within legal limits as approved by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA).The situation caused major delays at airports, including Kigali, where the airline operates daily flights.“Due to the shortage of pilots in the country, Kenya Airways has traditionally negotiated an agreement with KALPA that requires its members to be voluntarily available to work for certain hours during off time, which is known as goodwill, but within legal limits approved by the KCAA.“The standoff has been caused by a misinterpretation of the rules on working procedures leading to the current disagreement between the Union and Kenya Airways management,” reads a statement from the regional giants.KALPA is the Kenya Airlines Pilots Association.In the statement the Kenya Airways CEO, Titus Naikuni , noted that: “With the goodwill reinstated by KALPA, we are now working expeditiously to ensure normal services resume and expect all scheduled flights today to be crewed for operations.”“Kenya Airways will continue to operate its flights, we are doing our best to ensure a smooth provision of services and we apologize for any delays,” he added.Kenya Airways operates about 10 flights per week between Kigali and Nairobi.

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Kenya Airways resumes flights after strike by pilots