There were chaotic scenes at Kenya's main airport overnight as staff went on strike early Wednesday over a planned takeover by an Indian company.

A source told AFP that Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) was at a complete standstill early Wednesday, with management preparing a statement.

The Kenyan Aviation Workers Union confirmed on X that its strike started at midnight.

Images on social media showed a scrum of passengers trying to get their baggage at JKIA as the strike took effect.

Plans to lease the airport to India's Adani Group for 30 years in exchange for a $1.85 billion investment sparked widespread anger.

Critics say the plan will lead to job losses for local staff and rob taxpayers of future airport profits.

Freight and passenger fees from JKIA account for more than five percent of Kenya's GDP.

The Law Society of Kenya and the Kenya Human Rights Commission won a delay from the High Court on Monday, arguing that the deal lacked "transparency".

Kenya's government has defended the deal as necessary to refurbish JKIA.

It is one of Africa's busiest hubs, handling 8.8 million passengers and 380,000 tonnes of cargo in 2022-23, but is often hit by power outages and leaking roofs.

Adani would add a second runway and upgrade the passenger terminal, according to the Kenya Airport Authority.