KAA Gives Aircraft Owners 30 Days To Claim Them Or Be Sold

By Nsunjo Erica

Owners of over 101 aircraft abandoned at different airports in Kenya have been given 30days by the Kenya Airports Authority to claim them or have them auctioned.

Some of the abandoned airplanes are those used by business tycoons and politicians for short flights and commercial aircraft owned by top firms such as 748 Air Services, Silverstone, Jetlink, and Fly540.

Others are aircraft belonging to State agencies like the Kenya Police, Moi University, and Somalia Airforce, set to be auctioned if not claimed in 30 days.

Kenya Airports Authority broke the news in a notice dated Friday, August 14 where it unveiled its plan to auction the planes in an attempt to recover the parking fees accrued by the planes.

“The said aircraft will be sold by public auction and the proceeds of the sale shall be defrayed against any incurred charges and the balance, if any, shall remain at the owners’ credit but should there be a shortfall, the owner shall be liable thereof,” said KAA acting managing director Alex Gitari in the latest Kenya Gazette notice.

“Disposal of Uncollected Goods Act (Cap. 38) Of the laws of Kenya, to the parties appearing on the Schedule herein below to take delivery of the aircraft parked at various airport’s apron/airside areas or any unserviceable aircrafts parked in the airport movement area in absolute contravention of ICAO safety standards. Delivery must be done within thirty (30) days from the date of publication of this notice and upon payment of all outstanding charges and any incidental costs including the cost of publication of this notice, failure to which the said aircraft will be sold by public auction,” the notice added.

The abandoned planes include 17 found at JKIA, 64 at Wilson Airport, as well as others at Moi International Airport in Mombasa and Lokichoggio airstrip.

According to KAA, Large aircraft are subjected to 2,707 shillings daily parking fees at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport while small planes are charged 1, 625 shillings.

The large planes are also additionally charged at least 63,355 shillings in landing fee while small planes fork up Ksh 24,150.

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