Economy
Kenya opts to extend UK flights suspension
Tuesday May 25 2021
A Kenya Airways aircraft at JKIA. FILE PHOTO | NMG
Summary
- The national carrier had planned to resume flights to London this week after more than a month of business loss due to the ban.
- A ban on passenger flights between Nairobi and London has been extended by a month.
- In a text message to its customers on Saturday, KQ announced that the London flights were back and urged them to book.
A ban on passenger flights between Nairobi and London has been extended by a month, dealing a blow to Kenya Airways that had reopened bookings for the key route ahead of the peak summer travel season.
The national carrier had planned to resume flights to London this week after more than a month of business loss due to the ban after the Kenya banned flights from the UK, effective April 9 in retaliation to a move by the UK to add the country on its travel ‘red list’.
The previous freeze on flights on the route were to expire on May 5.
In a text message to its customers on Saturday, KQ announced that the London flights were back and urged them to book.
“Our flights to London are back, book your flights ticket and travel safely to reconnect with family and friends you have been missing,” the airline said in the message.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), however, said the ban on passenger flights on the Nairobi-London route would remain in force until June 5.
“The suspension on flights between Kenya and UK is still on. We have extended the Notice to the Airmen by another one month,” said KCAA director-general Gilbert Kibe.
Besides the passenger flight ban, Kenya has also directed all non-citizens coming from the UK to self-isolate for 14 days before they can be admitted to the country, in what will significantly cut the number of tourists ahead of the summer holidays.
The UK has opened up its country for tourists and also allowed its…