Kenya Airways pilots acting under their union, the Kenya Airlines Pilot Association (KALPA) withdrew their goodwill with the management.
A statement from the airline’s communications department said that the withdrawal of goodwill came on the backdrop of the on-going Collective Bargain Agreement (CBA) negotiations between the union and the management.
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 Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (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.
Kenya Airways Managing Director Titus Naikuni confirmed that the withdrawal of goodwill was likely to cause some disruptions in flight schedules and some flights may have to be cancelled.
“Kenya Airways will continue to operate its flights and we are doing our best to ensure a smooth provision of services. We are very mindful of the travel conveniences of our customers and we apologise for any delays,” said Naikuni.
Meanwhile Kenya Airways management is in discussions with KALPA and Kenya Civil Aviation Authority with an aim of reaching an agreement over the issue as soon as possible.