Kenya pilots’ union exposes shocking insight

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Written by Linda Hohnholz

“Just ask yourself how any of the planes Kenya Airways or Jambojet presently has on their fleet will be able to land in Ukunda or in Lamu,” asked a regular aviation source when passing the news la

“Just ask yourself how any of the planes Kenya Airways or Jambojet presently has on their fleet will be able to land in Ukunda or in Lamu,” asked a regular aviation source when passing the news last night that KALPA, the Kenya Airline Pilots Association, had gone to court to compel the two airlines to use their existing fleet, and pilots on the new routes which were launched a few weeks ago.

“You would think that you are talking to highly-trained professionals, but the truth is, one has to question their mental capacity for coming up with such rubbish. Lamu and Ukunda are unable to handle jets like the Kenya Airways’ Embraer 190 or like Jambojet’s B737-300. One must question the sanity of KALPA? Are they trying to force their own pilot members into landing on fields unfit, i.e., too short for the type of planes they are flying? Their industrial action is a recipe for an accident waiting to happen, and I hope their case is thrown out and their insanity exposed.”

Another regular aviation source in turn took issue with the judge at the Employment and Labor Court who reportedly had issued an injunction – this could not be independently confirmed overnight though – to halt Jambojet’s flights to Ukunda, Malindi, and Lamu until a full hearing of the case has taken place. Considering that this can take weeks if not months, the judge, one Helen Wasilwa, incurred the wrath of both aviation and tourism experts spoken to: “If it is correct that she issued an order to halt those flights over a dispute if Jambojet can or cannot wet lease a turboprop aircraft, the only type of aircraft able to fly to Ukunda and Lamu, then she needs her head examined. Has she heard of the dire situation of resorts and hotels at the coast? Now there is an airline which against the trend launched flights to Lamu and Ukunda to bring much-needed tourists there, and a judge thinks that should not be. If this is really the case, she has just issued a death sentence on more resorts, because if these flights are stopped, who will bring the tourists there?” said a Diani-based tourism stakeholder, while an aviation consultant termed the order, again subject to it actually having been issued, as a shocking lack of understanding of the implications of such an order, before adding, “If this is true, I hope the two airlines go straight to the appeals court to have the injunction thrown out, because the economic damage for the tourism industry in Lamu and Ukunda and for the aviation industry per se would be incalculable.”

Trade unions and trade associations have for long been accused to be a fifth column of outdated socialist and communist ideologies, in most cases not entirely justified, although in this case again holding some water, as the plaintiffs suggested they need to give permission to an airline’s plans to use suitable aircraft for new routes where the existing fleet of planes cannot operate.

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Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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