CONSUMER ORGANISATION GOES TO COURT TO STOP KENYA AIRWAYS’ NIGERIA FLIGHTS
(Posted 19th August 2014)
News just in from Nairobi talk of COFEK, Kenya’s Consumer Federation, going to court yesterday to seek an injunction against national airline Kenya Airways to stop them from flight operations to Nigeria and all other remaining West Africa destinations, following an Ebola outbreak in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Last weekend did the airline already announce a voluntary temporary suspension of flights from Nairobi to Liberia and Sierra Leone, while maintaining flights to Nigeria where a small outbreak has since been contained.
COFEK, clearly egged on and emboldened by a social media campaign, contended in court that ongoing flights to West Africa were putting profit before public health safety interests and demanded, among other requests, that KQ be held liable for all cost should a case of Ebola be ‘imported’ from West Africa. COFEK’s application for an immediate injunction however was not allowed by court at this stage.
A hearing will be held on Wednesday to determine the merits of the case and the airline is expected to put up a spirited defense for their decision to continue flying to countries not affected by the outbreak and to Nigeria where the outbreak was reportedly contained.
With almost a quarter of KQ’s revenues coming from passengers and cargo from West Africa, and the prospect of court siding with the applicant, did shares take an immediate dive as the stock market responded with sell offs pushing the stock price to a year low of 9.80 Kenya Shillings.
Said a source close to the airline in response to a question: ‘Dr. Naikuni made it clear on Friday that the airline will continue to monitor the situation and will work hand in hand with the Kenya Ministry of Health. It was their advice which made Kenya Airways suspend two routes. It should also be noted that the WHO’s position is to let flights continue but to step up surveillance and monitoring of passengers on departure and on arrival when they come from affected countries. That is done at both airports now. Based on that advice are Ethiopian Airlines and RwandAir from East Africa and South African Airways continuing to fly there and so are several other airlines from the Gulf and from Europe. This is not a decision to be taken lightly to cut off those countries altogether from the outside world and if at all a ban is issued it has to be global and not just affecting one airline, in this case Kenya Airways’.
Once the case is heard be sure to read the court’s decision, as and when available, right here, so watch this space.
