AIR KENYA HALTS FLIGHTS TO THE MASAI MARA’S MAIN AIRFIELD
(Posted 21st July 2015)
Air Kenya announced yesterday that they will with immediate effect halt operations into the Masai Mara’s main airfield, Keekorok, due to the condition of the strip. The airline issued the following statement to explain their action:
Start quote:
The condition of Keekorok airstrip has in the recent past deteriorated below Airkenya’s minimum safety standards. Some of our aircraft have had flat tyres due to the poor state of Keekorok airstrip thus causing major delays and highly inconveniencing our passengers.
For this reason Airkenya is stopping operation with all aircraft into Keekorok effective from tomorrow, Tuesday July 21st, 2015 until further notice.
We have been in touch with the relevant authorities to work on the airstrip.
We request that Agents/passengers who are booked to Keekorok Airstrip will be dropped to Olkiombo Airstrip instead, unless we are advised on the next best alternative airstrip for Drop/Pick.
Please call AIRKENYA on Tel. 391 6000 to advise on next best alternative airstrip if Olkiombo will not be convenient.
We would also like to take this opportunity to remind all Agents/Passengers that Nairobi is a beehive of activity this week. We kindly request that you will plan ahead to get passengers to Wilson Airport in good time, even if they do arrive two hours before flight departure. Remember we have the DORMANS Coffee Shop, and your passengers can enjoy a hot meal before their flight.
If you have any questions on the above or any related matter, please do not hesitate to let us know atinfoor call us on 391 6000.
End quote
It could not be ascertained, due to the short time available, if other airlines operating scheduled services from Wilson airport to the Masai Mara will follow suit and also halt operations into this airfield, but going by past experience is it likely that the air operators will stand together over questions of flight safety. Clients booked on flights into the Masai Mara are therefore urged to contact their safari operators and seek clarification, if indeed their flights were due to go in or out of this airfield. With the annual migration in full swing is demand for air safaris high and dropping this airstrip will no doubt cause challenges for lodge and camp operators which relied on the use of this particular airfield.
