KENYA: Fly540 Tyre Gets Stuck In Pothole, Pilot Aborts Take off

A Fly540 pilot was forced to abort take-off after realising one of the plane’s tyre was stuck in a pothole on the runway at the Manda Airport in Lamu County, southeastern Kenya.

The 36 scared passengers aboard the Nairobi-bound plane disembarked during the Sunday 12.30pm incident. No one was hurt.

Engineers and other airport staff were called and had to dig the plane’s left tyre out of the pothole using shovels and hoes.

The plane was about to take-off but it was difficult. The pilot had to stop abruptly especially after realising that one of the plane’s tyres was stuck in a huge pothole on the runway.

Engineers and airport staff had to be called and assisted in pushing the plane out and parked it at a safer location on the runway from where it was finally able to take-off safely.

All was fine as the plane taxied on the runway ready for take-off.

Trouble came just seconds as the plane started to lift its wings in readiness to fly. We saw the tyre on the left side stuck inside a huge hole on the runway.

We thank God that the pilot acted swiftly and switched off the engine of the plane. It was a scary moment said an eye witness.

A Fly540 official who spoke to journalists at the Manda Airport said checks were made later to ensure the plane was in good condition after the incident.

The plane was to take-off at exactly 12.30pm but the issue caused a delay. It took off at 12.54pm after checks were made to ensure the incident hadn’t created any other issue that could interfere with the flight.

Following the Sunday incident, travelling agencies, tourist stakeholders and passengers have called on the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) to urgently intervene and reconstruct the Manda Airport runway.

The airport was put on the spotlight in 2017, when Kenya Airways' low-cost airline Jambojet suspended flights citing dilapidated conditions.

At the time, Jambojet said the apron, taxiway and runway were in bad shape, making it difficult for aircrafts to land or take-off.

Aviation stakeholders said the poor state of the airport puts lives at risk.

We’ve raised the issue concerning the poor state of our airport, particularly the runway but our calls over the years to have it reconstructed have not been successful.

As we speak, the airport runway is covered in massive potholes which continue to pose a danger to navigation. Should we wait until a fatal accident occurs?

Mr Ibrahim Abdalla, a tour guide, called for expansion of the airport saying visits to Lamu have increased.

The high tourist season has already begun and the Manda Airport seems to be overwhelmed with the increased number of carriers plying the region. It’s better they reconstruct and expand the airport and also introduce 24-hour operations. Lamu is growing, said Mr Abdalla.

Tourism Observer

KENYA: 130 Kenya Airways Pilots Fled To Middle East Airlines In Past One Year, Needs 200 More

The Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA) dismissed claims by Kenya Airways CEO Sebastian Mikosz that the airline's pilots are the best paid in Africa, gobbling up a large share of its income.

KALPA dismissed suggestions that its members' pay packages are part of the financial woes facing KQ and instead attributed the problems to high cost of tickets, poor management and high expatriates' pay.

Kenya Airways has lost 130 pilots to Middle East airlines in the past one year due to poor pay, the national pilots’ association has said.

The association said currently there are 430 pilots at Kenya Airways and that the national carrier needs additional 200.

The association's secretary-general, Mureithi Nyaga, told the National Assembly Transport and Housing Committee last week that if indeed they were the best paid in Africa as claimed by the Kenya Airways CEO, then their members would not have been lured by other airlines.

Mr Nyaga told the MPs that other international airlines have also been targeting KQ engineers whom he said are some of the best trained in Africa.

Our members have moved to the Middle East airlines who are offering better packages. Why are they not turning down the offers if they are the best paid by KQ? Asked Mr Nyaga.

He told the committee chaired by Pokot South MP David Pkosing that pilots flying Boeing earn a gross salary of Sh483,350 while those flying Embraer earn Sh407,916.

The captains, he said, get a house allowance of Sh36000 while first officers get Sh30,814.

Pilots who fly outside the country are also entitled to Sh20,000 as accommodation per night, he said.

The figures the CEO stated are exaggerated. I am not aware where the CEO of Kenya Airways got the Sh1.6 million he was telling you about, Mr Nyaga said.

Mr Mikosz, appearing before the same committee, had said the pilots take home Sh1.6 million per month despite flying only 533 hours in a year.

Mr Nyaga said that the pilots fly 780 hours in a year.

About half of Kenya Airways’ payroll is paid out to its pilots who form the minority of the workforce disclosures have shown, shinning the spotlight on the airline’s employee compensation.

An official document by the national carrier showed that although pilots accounted for 13 per cent of the airline’s total workforce, they took home the equivalent of 45 per cent of the overall payout to employees.

Staff under the umbrella of the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU) accounted for the bulk of workforce at 65 percent but took home an estimated 30.5 percent of KQ’s payroll.

Managers at the airline accounted for 22 percent of the workforce and drew compensation equivalent of 22 per cent of the payroll.

Expatriates represented 0.3 percent of the airlines workforce and pocket 2.6 percent of its payroll.

Going by KQ’s latest financial report for the nine months to December 2017, pilots were paid a combined Sh4.25 billion from the airline’s Sh9.45 billion wage bill for the period while the KAWU staff took home Sh2.89 billion.

The management took home Sh2.08 billion in salaries while expatriate staff received Sh245 million.

At the end of 2017, the airline had 414 pilots, out of its overall workforce of 3,548.

The revelations came as the struggling airline put up a spirited fight to take up the management of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) as a way of strengthening its financial position.

The airline had proposed a merger with the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) an issue that has stirred public debate and split its staff.

Kawu and the pilot umbrella body, the Kenya Airline Pilots Association (Kalpa), have been on differing ends of the table over the takeover bid.

The Kenya Aviation Workers Union (Kawu) told the parliamentary committee on transport that it was opposed the merger proposal, saying it will result in job losses and disadvantage other facilities managed by the KAA.

Kawu members went on strike last month to protest against unfair staff hiring, poor remuneration and the proposed takeover of the airport by the airline.

On the other hand, Kalpa has supported the merger bid although its officials admitted that they were not privy to the details of the Privately Initiated Investment Proposal (PIIP) presented by KQ.

Wage has been a key point of protest for employees of the carrier as the past five years have remained marred in industrial actions, some resulting in flight disruptions and others paralysing services on some routes.

The airline has been involved in protracted labour disputes with its pilots and has also suffered from poaching of talent by wealthy Middle East carriers that can afford to pay higher wages.

Technicians, engineers and other Kawu members have also downed their tools multiple times over salary disputes.

KQ has been targeting a reduction of its wage bill as part of a wider cost-cutting drive aimed at returning it to profitability after having reported the worst losses by a listed firm in Kenya in 2015 and 2016.


Tourism Observer

KENYA: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Eagerly Awaits Audit Pertaining New York Flights

Kenya will know its fate on direct flights to the US next month as officials from America’s security agency will conduct an audit whose outcome will be key in determining whether the country will get the Last Point of Departure (LDP) status.

The officials from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will conduct the audit at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport between May 21 and 25.

The audit will find out whether Kenya has addressed the issues raised by TSA last year in regard to security. Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) was tasked to undertake some corrective measures.

We expect the inspectors from America on May 21, 2018 to asses us. We are ready to receive them since we are ready to commence direct flights to John F Kennedy International Airport in New York on October 28, 2018.

KAA Managing Director Jonny Andersen told the committee on Equal Opportunity chaired by nominated MP Maina Kamanda on Tuesday.

He said they have dealt with all the issues that had been raised and are optimistic that they will pass the test.

We are now ready for the audit as we have addressed all the areas that required correction, he said.

Some of the issues that the management has addressed include provision of a proper perimeter fence and consistence at the security screening yard.

At the screening yard, KAA has removed National Youth Service personnel and the security checks are now done by the regular police and the General Service Unit officers.

The LPD status will allow not only Kenya Airways but any other airline that has been approved by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fly directly to the US from Nairobi.

The national carrier received exemption authority from the DOT last year, allowing it to commence flights to the US provided it secures clearance from the FAA and other applicable State agencies.

JKIA was in February last year given Category One status after several audit processes by the US air agency- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that had seen Kenya fail to meet a number of reviews, delaying earlier commencement date of August 2016.

After getting LDP clearance, the last remaining thing will be the granting of Kenya Airways or any other airline an Air Operator Certificate by FAA after inspecting the carrier’s equipment and facilities, which is expected to be done this month.

The Kenya Airways announced that the airline will start flying directly to the US from Kenya in October, marking a milestone for the national carrier.

The move, industry experts have said, would cut flight time between the two cities by more than seven hours.

The trans-Atlantic flight is scheduled to depart JKIA at 10.30pm every day, a journey that will last 15 hours. This is a reduction from the current flight time of over 22 hours, including lengthy layovers.

Travellers to JFK will arrive at 6.30am, while the return flight from JKF will depart at 1.30pm and arrive in Nairobi at 10.30am the next day.

Each trip will have a maximum of 234 passengers, 204 in economy and the rest in business class of the national carrier’s Dreamliner aircraft.


Tourism Observer

KENYA: Kenya Airways Preparing For Flights To New York

Officials from the US security department met Kenya’s aviation regulator last month to confirm that all the safety measures are in place ahead of the scheduled direct flights to New York later in the year.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) had a session with the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) with the view to ensuring that the measures that were put in place to facilitate direct flights between the two countries are still intact.

KCAA Director General Gilbert Kibe said the officials were impressed with the progress and they have given Kenya a clean bill of health.

Officials from TSA were here to check our compliance in regard to Category 1 status and they were impressed with the measures that have been put in place, said Mr Kibe.

This comes at a time when Kenya Airports Authority is waiting for response on some items that the TSA wanted corrected before the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is given the Last Point of Departure (LPD) status.

The first audit was done last year in December but Kenya did not pass the test as there were some measures that needed to be put in place to meet the compliance level.

The KAA said early this year that they had carried out corrective measures as requested by TSA, and that they were waiting for their decision.

Some of the things that the audit focused on include documentation of the processes at the airport, security perimeter at the facility and access control measures enacted by the authority.

The LPD status will allow Kenya Airways and any other airline that has been approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fly directly to the US from Nairobi.

The national carrier received exemption authority from the DOT last year, allowing it to commence flights to the United States provided it secures clearance from the FAA and other applicable State agencies.

JKIA was in February last year given Category One status after several audit processes by FAA that had seen Kenya fail to meet a number of reviews, delaying the earlier commencement date of August 2016.

The key item on audit was the security measures that Kenya had implemented to guarantee direct flights between the two countries.

After getting LDP clearance, the last remaining thing will be the granting of Kenya Airways or any other airline an Air Operator Certificate by FAA after inspecting the carrier’s equipment and facilities, which is expected to be this month.



Tourism Observer

KENYA: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Opens Public Car Park

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport car garage has opened to the public in what is expected to ease congestion and boost revenues.

The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) had in 2013 converted the car parking garage into a temporary arrivals section after a fire destroyed Terminal 1.

Security features at the garage have been fixed and works at arrival terminals 1A and IE now completed.

Kenya Airports Authority is pleased to announce that the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport car parking garage is now officially open to the public.

The facility is able to handle 1,300 additional parking spaces.

Cars using the garage will be charged Sh100 on average, depending on the duration they are parked at the facility.

Installation of CCTV cameras at the garage was one of the security measures implemented by KAA ahead of auditing by American Authorities for direct flights to the US.

The JKIA was in February given Category One status following several audit processes by the US’ Federal Aviation Administration.

The status is awarded based on proven capabilities of a country’s civil aviation authority that it has the laws and oversight processes in place to assure safe operations.

That determination is made on the basis of a country’s compliance with safety standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, a UN agency.

Earlier, Kenya had failed to meet a number of conditions, delaying commencement of flights in August last year.

Major upgrades have been made at the JKIA since its international terminal was destroyed in a fire four years ago.

Operating direct flights between Kenya and the US is expected to cut by half freight costs in what could have a ripple effect on economic growth. Kenya exports mostly horticultural products to the US.

Kenya contributes more than 35 per cent share to the global flower trade that continues to grow despite stiff competition from Ecuador, Ethiopia and Colombia.

KENYA: Kenya’s Aviation Supports 620,000 Jobs, Says IATA

Kenyan aviation industry supports up to 620,000 direct and indirect jobs including employment in the tourism sector, a study by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has concluded.

The aviation industry contributed nearly Sh330 billion ($3.2 billion) to Kenya’s economy, or 5.1 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according to the IATA report.

The findings are among highlights of the Importance of Air Transport to Kenya study which was conducted by Oxford Economics on behalf of IATA.

The study confirms the vital role that air transport plays in facilitating more than $10 billion in exports, some $4.4 billion in foreign direct investment and around $800,000 in inbound leisure and business tourism for Kenya, said Muhammad Albakri, IATA’s regional vice president for the Middle East and Africa.

However, by adopting policies that ensure a competitive operating environment for the airlines, Kenya could reap even greater dividends from aviation, he added.

According to executives surveyed by the World Economic Forum, Kenya’s transport infrastructure quality score places the country sixth out of 37 African countries surveyed and 78th globally.

Kenya was ranked 31st out of the 37 African countries for cost competitiveness in the air transport industry, based on air ticket taxes, airport charges and Value Added Tax.

On visa openness, Kenya was ranked 10th out of the 37 African countries which were in the survey.

Around 130,000 aircraft land and take off from one of Kenya’s five main airports every year.

The Jomo Kenyatta International Airport is the key gateway and handled more than 5.8 million passengers in 2014.

While Kenya’s air transport infrastructure ranks highly among African states, it is important that heavy fees, taxes and charges do not hold aviation back, Mr Albakri said.

We are very encouraged by the news that the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has embarked on a study to review Airport charges downwards.

Mr Albakri who is soon making his first visit to Africa in his new capacity, also expected to visit Kenya.

During his visit to Nairobi, the IATA official will be meeting with key industry stakeholders including officials from the government, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, KAA and the African Airlines Association.

KENYA: Lazizi Premiere Hotel - 144-room And 4 Star - Opens At Jomo Kenyatta International Airport

The very first airport hotel has opened, seeking to cash in on the growing passenger, cargo, and airline numbers at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

The 144-room Lazizi Premiere Hotel is located on First Freight Lane inside the JKIA.

It is targeting transiting passengers, airline crews, and business executives on the go.

This is very strategic because there is no other airport hotel here. We are also targeting those who work in the airport and in the vicinity who can walk in for lunch, said Kiran Patel, owner of the hotel.

Mumbai-based hotelier Sarovar runs the hotel under a management contract.

It currently has a portfolio of four hotels in Kenya including Heron Portico, Zehneria Portico, and the upcoming Tetezi Hometel, owned by lawyer John Mburu.

The four-star Lazizi airport hotel sits on a 1.5 acre plot. It features three conference rooms targeting business meetings, as well as a rooftop pool, spa, gym, coffee shop, bar, café where guests can while away as they wait for their flights.

Lazizi has employed 165 staff, Mr Patel said. Satya Roychowdhur, an ex- Carlson Rezidor executive, is the general manager at Lazizi.

JKIA passenger traffic grew 9.7 per cent to hit 7.1 million travellers in 2016 according to official data.

International travellers – the captive market for airport hotels – make up three quarters of the total passenger traffic according to data from Kenya Airports Authority.

Hilton Garden Inn, another airport hotel located next to JKIA, was expected to open in March 2016, but construction work is yet to be completed.

Airport hotels also profit from events such as flight delays, reschedules or cancelled journeys, which at times force airlines to offer accommodation to distraught passengers.

Mumbai-based hotelier Sarovar plans to open its first-ever budget hotel under the Hometel brand in Nairobi after signing a deal with a city lawyer to put up the facility.

The upcoming Tetezi Hometel Nairobi is owned by lawyer John Mburu, and targets business travellers and holidaymakers on a shoestring budget.

Sarovar will manage the hotel’s day-to-day operations, earning a fee for its brand and services.

The 80-room hotel is located on Riverside Drive and its construction has already started with the opening set for 2019.

A typical Hometel hotel development cost in Kenya,excluding cost of land is estimated at $60,000 (Sh6.1 million) per room.

There is a growing demand for good value for money hotels across the country and abroad. This is the largest demand segment. We aim to cater to these markets with our hotels by offering best value to business and leisure travellers, said Ajay Bakaya, managing director at Sarovar Hotels in a statement.

Tetezi Hometel Nairobi will be the first in Africa, he said, adding that the brand delivers profitable hotels to owners.

Mr Mburu will invest about Sh480 million in the construction, Sarovar said.

The budget hotel brings to four the total number of properties managed by Sarovar in Kenya including Heron Portico and Zehneria Portico.

Lazizi Premiere located near the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, has opened.

The Indian hotelier has three brands: Premiere (luxury), Portico (midscale) and budget offering Hometel. There are 10 Hometel hotels worldwide, Sarovar said.

Sarovar presence in Africa will now total to eight hotels including New Africa Hotel and Casino in Dar-es-Salaam, the 73-roomed Panorama Sarovar Portico in Juba, Sarovar Premiere in Lusaka, and Sarovar Premiere Addis Ababa.

KENYA: Plane Makes Emergency Landing At Jomo Kenyatta International Airport

A plane from Somalia landed on its belly and veered off the runway at Nairobi's international airport on Sunday, causing no casualties but prompting the authorities to temporarily close the runway.

Kenya Airports Authority said that the plane had four people on board when it made the emergency landing at 4.55 p.m. (1355 GMT) at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

"As a result the runway is temporarily closed to evacuate aircraft," the authority said, without giving any details about the flight or type of plane.

It was not immediately clear when flights would resume. Officials said flights were being diverted to other airports.

KENYA: Weston Hotel Did You Plant Flowers On Wilson Airport Road?

The management of Weston Hotel have denied claims that the hotel is behind the closure of an important road used by staff and visitors to Wilson Airport.

With the access road now turned into a flowerbed, residents of Lang’ata have had to drive all the way to the T-Mall roundabout where gridlocks build, leading to unnecessary delays.

Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and other users of the airport want the decision, allegedly by Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) to be reversed.

The closure was allegedly done at night during the Christmas holiday. The Kenya Association of Air Operators (KAAO) chief executive officer Colonel (Rtd) Eutychus Karumba Waithaka said their complaints have fallen on deaf ears.

“It is really a nightmare. This is the most unexpected action to happen in the aviation industry. The closure is causing delays of flights for almost one hour. This is sabotage at a busy international airport,” complained Waithaka.

The CEO said they have been informed by KeNHA that the turn-off was the source of most accidents that occur along Lang’ata Road. There was no immediate comment from KeNHA officials. Our calls to their offices also went unanswered.

“The access road has been in place for years with no problems, but since some businesses have mushroomed around the place, they suddenly block it and turn it into a flowerbed at the expense of others,” said a senior official at the KAA who asked not to be named.
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KeNHA officials reportedly constructed the flower bed on the road at night. They have blocked the entrance to Wilson Airport for motorists driving from Lang’ata.

Waithaka said they have not received any response from the Ministry of Transport after lodging a formal complaint.