Kenya Airways pilots continued striking today, causing more than 20 aircraft to remain grounded. The airline has confirmed it has reached a stalemate with the pilots, who are calling for better working conditions.

Late last night, the airline issued a statement apologising to customers and confirming that 12 000 passengers had been disrupted by the strike that day. A total of 56 flights were cancelled, and 500 passengers were accommodated at various hotels in Nairobi, awaiting transfer to other flights as soon as possible.

The Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA) told media: “In the current situation, Kenya Airways has only two aircraft in the air being flown by four pilots in management positions.”

Kenya Airways disputed the union’s claims, calling them “unsubstantiated allegations of frustration”.

“To clarify, 23 professional dedicated pilots are available and executing their flying duties. These are patriotic and committed Kenyans who are supporting the Pride of Africa and the economy. Today, we have operated four flights and expect to operate a minimum of nine flights tomorrow,” CEO Allan Kilavuka responded.

“KALPA is not approaching this conciliation in good faith. We are at a stalemate. Therefore, they are holding passengers, other employees, management and the economy to ransom,” Kilavuka concluded.

KALPA has said it will only be ready to call off industrial action once Kenya Airways management agrees to resolve issues raised by the pilots: better working conditions and the lifting of a suspension of payments to the staff provident fund.

"Kenya Airways management's actions left us with no other option. We had hoped the airline's management would soften its stance and engage in negotiating on the issues raised, but they did not. Now, the strike is fully in force,” said union Secretary General, Murithi Nyagah.

If the strike continues, Kenya Airways would be unable to meet salary demands this month, Kilavuka said during a briefing in Nairobi. The airline has begun a disciplinary process against the striking pilots, Daily Maverick reports.

"I urge the pilots to be mindful of the consequences of defying a court order and to urgently return to work because impunity cannot be an option," said Kipchumba Murkomen, Kenya’s Roads and Transport Secretary. “The sour and chronic industrial action is an impediment to ongoing efforts to raise capital for Kenya Airways.”

According to Simple Flying, Kenya Airways has estimated that just a day's strike would cause it to lose approximately Ksh300m (€2,47m).