Summary
- After nearly four years, Kenya Airways has resumed flights to Mogadishu, Somalia, following a bilateral air services agreement.
- The airline will offer three weekly flights between Nairobi and Mogadishu, with plans for further regional expansion in 2024.
- Somalia’s improved security situation and diplomatic relationship with Kenya were factors in the decision to resume flights.
Kenya Airways has officially returned to Mogadishu, Somalia, for the first time in nearly four years. This follows the signing of a bilateral air services agreement between the Somali and Kenyan governments in August 2023.
Returning to Somalia with the Embraer 190
Kenya Airways first announced the resumption of flights between Nairobi and Mogadishu late last year. It initially launched passenger flights between the two capitals in November 2018, but the service was discontinued in 2020 following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock
The inaugural flight was operated on February 15 with KQ’s 96-seat Embraer 190 aircraft. According to Flightradar24, flight KQ362 departed Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) at 14:22 local time and arrived at Mogadishu Aden Adde International (MGQ) at 15:45.
The airline will offer three weekly flights with the same aircraft on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. According to data from Cirium, an aviation analytics company, KQ has 138 scheduled flights to Mogadishu this year, offering 13,248 seats. The schedule is as follows (all times local):
|
Flight |
Route |
Departure |
Arrival |
|
KQ362 |
NBO-MGQ |
14:00 |
15:45 |
|
KQ363 |
MGQ-NBO |
16:35 |
18:20 |
Regional expansion in 2024
The resumption of Mogadishu flights is a significant step for the Kenyan national carrier as it seeks to add more destinations in Africa. The new route is expected to enhance trade, economic opportunities, and tourism between the two East African countries.
Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock
As of February 2023, Mogadishu is the carrier’s 35th destination in Africa. The resumption of this route aligns with the company’s strategic commitment to expand its presence within the continent and contributes to its long-term economic progression. Kenya Airways hosted an event at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to officially inaugurate this service. Highlighting the importance of adding Mogadishu to its network, Kenya Airways Group MD and CEO Allan Kilavuka said,
“The decision to resume flights to Mogadishu comes at a time when Somalia is emerging as an attractive business destination in East Africa, thanks in part to the improving security situation and its recent membership in the East African Community.”
In addition to the thrice-weekly passenger flights, Kenya Airways also offers a weekly cargo service between Mogadishu and Sharjah, which is set to be increased to twice-weekly in April 2024. The service is operated with the recently acquired Boeing 737-800 freighter. Speaking to Jon Howell on the AviaDev Insight Africa podcast, Kenya Airways’ Head of Network Planning and Alliances, Martin Gitonga, explained the vast potential for cargo in Somalia, with most of the country’s goods being imported.
Regarding the airline’s international expansion, he also revealed that Kenya Airways plans to add four new destinations by the end of the year. The next destination to return to its network is Maputo, Mozambique, last served regularly in March 2020. KQ will resume Nairobi-Maputo flights on June 15, 2024, starting with a thrice-weekly frequency.
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Since publishing this article, the carrier has increased JFK flights to 9-weekly.
Somalia and Somaliland airspace dispute
Somalia’s security situation and diplomatic relationship with Kenya have improved over the past year, which was one of the drivers for Kenya Airways to resume flights on the route. In January 2023, Somali airspace regained its Class A classification, which saw air traffic control services return to the Horn of Africa country after over 30 years.
Somalia Has Just Opened Its 1st MRO Facility In Over 3 Decades
Somalia now has a facility to repair and inspect aircraft locally.
Despite the improvements, Somalia still has multiple disputes with Somaliland, which includes the Ethiopian Airlines stake deal from January 2024. There is an ongoing airspace management dispute between the two territories, with Somaliland claiming violations from Mogadishu. As reported by Horn Observer, Somaliland authorities announced intentions to take control of its airspace, previously shared with Somalia.
What are your thoughts on Kenya Airways returning to Somalia? Please let us know in the comments!
