No Resumption of Passenger Planes at JKIA, Says KAA

The Kenya Airports Authority has dismissed claims that passenger planes will soon resume operations at the Jomo Kenyatta Airport stating that the information leaked to the media was not confirmed.

While speaking to a local daily, KAA clarified that the agency was still in talks with stakeholders on the measures they would take in case operations resume.

“We were supposed to have a meeting with the stakeholders but the meeting never took place. It was pushed to a later date due to operational issues,” said KAA Media Relations Officer Grace Odhiambo.

“What we are currently doing is putting measures in place, should we open; then we will have adhered to the Ministry of Health guidelines in terms of social distancing. We are putting additional fumigation counters, signages among other things,” Ms. Odhiambo added.

On Wednesday, some information from the meeting between KAA officials and other stakeholders had leaked to the public raising concerns on the safety of the planes amidst high Covid-19 infection rates.

JKIA Airport Manager Abel Godo had sent a memo to officials from the Aeronautical Operational Control (AOC), all government agencies, concessionaires, contractors, suppliers and service providers about the imminent resumption of passenger flights.

The leaked memo read “In preparation of the imminent resumption of passenger operations at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you are hereby invited to a virtual meeting to be held on Wednesday 13th May 2020 at 11.00hrs.”

Ms. Odhiambo, however, stated that KAA will only resume operations after getting a nod from the Ministry of Transport and International Air Transport Association (IATA) which is in charge of the safety standards worldwide.

“Unless they lift it [ban on passenger flights], there is nothing we can do. We still don’t know when the operations will resume but we are making adjustments.”