Fact Checker

Kenya Airways wishes to clarify as FALSE the assertion by Nation Media Group outlets (Daily Nation, NTV and Business Daily), that cabin crew shortage is resulting in flight disruptions. The articles further assert that “The shortfall in the number of cabin crew workers comes after KQ let go of some of its staff members in 2020 to cut costs due to depressed earnings caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.” The journalist neglected to mention that we have added more than 314 cabin crew and 91% of those whose contracts had not been renewed during COVID have since been recalled. KQ adheres to industry regulations, meticulously following the operational guidelines outlined by the regulatory authority, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, to ensure the highest standards of right staffing, safety and service. Kenya Airways currently has 853 Cabin Crew compared to 936 pre-COVID. Moreover, it’s worth noting that the recent flight delays acknowledged by the airline are primarily attributable to logistical challenges related to the on-time delivery of spare parts, as transparently communicated earlier. Kenya Airways remains dedicated to resolving these challenges swiftly and diligently, assuring its valued passengers of continued operational excellence in line with its unwavering commitment to the highest safety standards. Like any other organisation, sometimes employees are unable to turn up for work for varied reason, sickness, family emergency, etc. In this scenario the crew scheduling team will reach out to those not rostered through phone calls or WhatsApp messages on their availability. It is important to state that this is an industry practice world over. It is therefore unethical and very unprofessional to reference regular WhatsApp messages and imply that it is a contribution to Cabin crew shortage. Kenya Airways is also currently addressing pilot shortages due to multiple pilots calling in sick. We are committed to overcoming these challenges swiftly to maintain operational excellence.