Travel disrupted as flights are cancelled

Tourists held up at Moi International Airport in Mombasa on October 16, 2016 following KQ flight delays. Among the cancelled flights were KQ 600 to Mombasa. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Kenya Airways said the staff, including cabin crew, had stayed away from work since Friday due to “issues” with their employer.
  • Passengers also expressed disappointment at being rescheduled to fly with Jambojet, the low-cost subsidiary of KQ.

Hundreds of passengers were on Sunday stranded for hours at the Moi International Airport, Mombasa, after their flights were cancelled by Kenya Airways.

According to a statement from the national carrier, the crisis was occasioned by outsourced crew who failed to report to work in the morning.

Kenya Airways said the staff, including cabin crew, had stayed away from work since Friday due to “issues” with their employer.

Among the cancelled flights were KQ 600 to Mombasa, KQ 432 to Kilimanjaro, KQ 350 to Juba, KQ 706 to Lusaka/Harare and KQ 740 to Maputo while flight KQ 782 to Livingston/Cape Town was delayed.

The delay led to a massive crisis at both the Mombasa-based airport and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi.

Some of the passengers who spoke to the Nation complained that the crisis had affected their travel plans.

“I had an appointment in Amsterdam which I have been planning for four months and I was scheduled to fly to Nairobi at 1pm to connect my flight, only to be told later that it has been cancelled with no clear communication,” Mr Charles Barasa said.

“This is the second time this is happening to me and I have already sought legal advice.”

Passengers also expressed disappointment at being rescheduled to fly with Jambojet, the low-cost subsidiary of KQ.

“I was supposed to fly to Nairobi at 8.30pm and have now been re-booked to Jambojet which we are told will depart at 1640 hours. I have my small son with me, it is very frustrating spending more than eight hours here with no proper directions by the management,” Ms Josephine Karabu said.

Another passenger, Mr Rioba Evans, said he was saddened by the fact that he would miss his seven-year-old daughter birthday.

“I had bought her birthday gift but am really disappointed I have missed the party cause it is going on now yet my flight has been rescheduled to 4.10 pm,” Mr Evans said at around 1.30pm.

The crisis also affected business at the airport with taxi drivers being the most affected.

The drivers complained that they had not gone for a single trip since morning.

“I have been here since seven waiting for customers which are the passengers but all in vain. There are no flights, we have not made a single penny yet we will be required to pay for parking fees. It is very frustrating,” Mr Justus Katana, a taxi driver, said.