KQ suspends Kisumu flights
As reported by the Daily Nation: The national carrier, Kenya Airways, has suspended flights to Kisumu beginning today citing the poor state of the runway. "Due to concerns about passenger safety, we will resume our operations into the Kisumu airport when repairs to the runway have been done," chief executive Titus Naikuni said yesterday. Business at the Kisumu airport was normal yesterday, however. The Kenya Airways plane landed at 6:15 pm and the East African Airlines one landed at 6:25 pm and both picked Nairobi-bound passengers. Efforts to reach the airport manager, Mr Joseph Yego, were fruitless. Kenya Airports Authority spokesman Dominic Ngigi declined to comment on the issue saying he was on safari out of the country. The Government has in the past promised that it had set aside some Sh2.1 billion for the expansion of Kisumu airport. A complete design for the expanded new look airport was expected to be finalised two months ago courtesy of the Netherlands Airports Consultant Company (NACO), Mr Yego said in July. "Once the design is ready, a suitable company would be contracted to start the expansion work which is expected to cost Sh2.1 billion," he said. He said because the runway is short, large aircraft can neither land nor take off from the airport. The runway is 2.1 kms long while big aircraft require a minimum of 3kms, Mr Yego said. He said the airport was strategic in the region as Kisumu could in future host the East African Legislative Assembly if government plans to upgrade and expand the facility were completed soon. At the same time, Mr Naikuni said Kenya Airways was taking measures to address the delays being experienced on the Nairobi-Mombasa route. He said: "We recognise that there has been some challenges on the Mombasa schedules. We have purchased three new Boeing 737-899s which will be used on the regional routes and will allow us to replace the ageing 737-800s currently deployed on the Mombasa route." The airline took delivery of the first of the new aircraft early this week while the other two are scheduled to arrive towards the end of this month and next month. The expansion of the Kisumu airport is expected to boost horticulture, fish processing and banana business besides tourism in Nyanza, Western and parts of Rift Valley provinces. "Kenyan fish processors will be able to airlift several tonnes of fish destined for Europe rather than use the traditional means of transport –road and rail," Mr Yego said. It is also expected to enhance speedy transportation of other perishable commodities like flowers.

KAA has finally shut Kisumu airport for runway repairs. The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has reshuffled some of its top managers and closed Kisumu Airport for repairs. Mr Yatich Kangugo, formerly the manager at Wilson Airport, Nairobi, is the new manager of Moi Airport, Mombasa. He takes over from Mr John Mugo, who has been transfered to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Nairobi, as manager. Mr Stephen Gichuki, formerly JKIA manager and also general manager (operations), is the new general manager, engineering and planning services. KAA spokesman Mr Dominic Ngigi said the transfers are routine management changes. He also announced the closure of Kisumu Airport runway for two weeks for repairs after heavy rains worsened conditions of the runway. Following the announcement, East Africa Safari Air Express (EASAX) has suspended their flights to Kisumu. Three weeks ago, Kenya Airways suspended flights to the airport, citing poor conditions of the runway. The two airlines are the only scheduled operators on the route. "Our flights to Kisumu still remain suspended until our internal flight safety auditing team are convinced that the runway is safe," a KQ spokesman, Mr Patterson Siema, said yesterday. EASAX Chief Executive Officer, Captain Adam Ogden, said in a statement the suspension was due to concerns on passengers’ safety. "Captain George Kamau, Senior Flight Safety Officer of the airline’s flight safety committee, has reviewed the status of the airport on a daily basis since KQ suspended its flights and have recommended a complete suspension of flights to Kisumu until such a time as the runway is fully repaired," said Captain Ogden. "We had initially decided it was safe to continue operations because of the type of equipment we operate, but the situation, however, has now changed and the runway has deteriorated," he said. EASAX operations to Kisumu will remain suspended until the runway repairs are complete. "We are sorry for the inconvenience that this has caused, but the safety of our passengers and crew is paramount," he said. Ogden said EASAX will mitigate the disruption by diverting flights twice daily to Eldoret International Airport. He advised passengers holding tickets for Kisumu to Nairobi flights to go to Eldoret Airport. The airline’s schedule remains unchanged. The airline’s Commercial Director, Mr George Kivindyo said the suspension is disappointing for the airtime, especially as it comes on the same weekend when the carrier was launching ‘Easy Flight’ — a booking tool for a new website www.bookeastafrican.com. EASAX daily scheduled flights to Mombasa, Malindi and Lokichogio remain unaffected, he said. The airline flies 80 seater jets.