Kenya Airways pilots plan to strike on Thursday

The Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA) issued a two day strike notice to Kenya Airways on Tuesday, demanding the immediate resignation of Chief Executive Mbuvi Ngunze and criticising his turnaround strategy.

The carrier, which is 26.7 percent owned by Air France KLM, has been selling assets, including planes, and plans to lay off 600 people as it battles deep losses.

KALPA called the turnaround measures “questionable” and said Ngunze had to go.

“This will be the first step towards recovery of Kenya Airways,” the association said in a statement.

Kenya Airways said it had not formally been served with a strike notice and that unions were required by law to give a minimum notice period of seven days.

“We would like to assure our customers and travel trade partners that we are fully operational,” Kenya Airways said.

Kenya Airways is one of the largest carriers in Africa, ferrying 10,000 passengers a day on a fleet of Boeing and Embraer planes.