In a customer update issued on Sunday, the national carrier apologised to passengers affected by the delays and said it was working with aviation authorities and other airport stakeholders to minimise disruption.
“We are currently experiencing delays of 2-3 hours for departures out of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) due to ongoing air traffic control challenges,” Kenya Airways said.
The airline said the safety of its crew and passengers remained its highest priority and advised affected customers to contact its Customer Excellence team for assistance.
"We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience this situation has caused to travel plans. Our teams are working with the aviation authorities and relevant airport stakeholders to ensure safe operations and minimise the inconvenience and disruption to our customers' travels," KQ said.
“As this is a developing situation, we will keep you updated as soon as we have new developments,” the airline said.
The latest disruption comes as JKIA remains Kenya’s main international aviation gateway and the operational base of Kenya Airways.
The airport handles the majority of Kenya’s international passenger traffic and is also a major air cargo hub in sub-Saharan Africa.
The airline has asked passengers to remain patient as efforts continue to address the current delays.
Flight operations at JKIA and other airports were disrupted on Sunday by a go-slow involving staff of the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), resulting in significant delays.
Several flights scheduled to depart as early as 8 am remained on the ground several hours later, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded and awaiting updates on their departure times.
Earlier, Kenya Airports Authority PLC had confirmed that some departing flights at its airports are currently experiencing delays.
"Kenya Airports Authority PLC wishes to advise passengers and other airport users that some departing flights are currently experiencing delays at our airports," KAA said in a statement on Sunday.
KAA said it is working with relevant aviation agencies, airlines and other stakeholders to manage the situation, minimise disruption and facilitate the smooth flow of airport operations.
Passengers have been advised to contact their respective airlines for the latest information on their flight status and to plan their journeys accordingly.
