Sunday 19th July, 2026 01:38 PM|
Kenya Airways has cancelled a flight from New York to Nairobi due to severe weather conditions that disrupted airport operations.
In a customer update shared on its X account on Sunday, July 19, 2026, the national carrier said flight KQ003, scheduled to depart from John F Kennedy International Airport on Saturday, July 18, 2026, for Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), was cancelled due to severe weather conditions.
“Due to severe weather conditions being experienced in New York, airport operations were significantly disrupted,” Kenya Airways said.
The airline said the decision was taken to protect passengers and crew as weather conditions affected operations at the airport.
Flight to resume
Kenya Airways said the aircraft would depart once weather conditions improve, all safety and regulatory measures are met and the necessary air traffic clearance is granted.
“The aircraft will depart as soon as weather conditions improve all the safety and regulatory measures have been met and the necessary air traffic clearance is granted,” the airline said.
The carrier apologised to affected passengers and said it would continue providing updates on the rescheduled flight.
“We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused and thank our guests for their patience and understanding. We will continue to keep our affected guests updated with the latest information,” it added.
Aviation sector faces disruption
The flight cancellation comes as Kenya’s aviation sector faces the possibility of further disruptions after the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) issued a seven-day strike notice over unresolved labour disputes.
KAWU Secretary General Moss Ndiemo has warned that travellers could face inconveniences if the dispute with the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) is not resolved.
“Seven days from 20th on Monday, you are likely to face inconveniences. You are likely to run into challenges if you are to use any other facility in this republic,” Ndiemo said.
The union has accused KCAA of failing to honour a return-to-work agreement signed in February 2026 following an earlier strike that disrupted operations at JKIA and other aviation facilities.
The dispute has raised concerns over possible delays and cancellations as stakeholders work to resolve the outstanding labour issues.
Kenya Airways, however, said the New York cancellation was caused by severe weather, with the safety of passengers, crew and aircraft remaining its top priority.
