THOUSANDS STRANDED AT KENYAN AIRPORTS
THOUSANDS of passengers have been stranded in Kenya's four main airports after a strike by workers caused major disruption to flights yesterday.
Workers say they are unhappy over a planned merger between the airport authority and the national airline.
About 60 flights failed to leave Jomo Kenyatta International Airport - East Africa's largest - but some operations had resumed by the afternoon.
Airports in Mombasa, Eldoret and Kisumu are also disrupted.
The government has condemned the strike as illegal and Kenyan air force personnel have been brought in to ease the situation.
Riot police were deployed and used tear gas and batons to disperse striking workers at the capital's main airport, local media say. Kenya Airways says the situation is improving, with long-haul flights to Amsterdam and Mumbai having departed, others boarding and domestic flights “set to resume shortly”.
Some flights to regional destinations have been cancelled.
A key figure in organising the strike, Kenya Aviation Workers Union secretary-general Moss Ndiema, has been arrested.
Frustrated passengers have complained of a lack of information and support from the authorities, with travellers waiting for hours with no update on their flights.
Some planes reportedly left without passengers.