KENYA AIRWAYS CONFIRMS THAT APPLICATIONS ARE NOW FILED FOR FLIGHTS TO THE Us
(Posted 09th May 2017)
The application process for direct flights from Nairobi to the United States is now underway after Kenya Airways last week filed the paperwork with the FAA for landing rights.
While no decision is expected for several months, as the airline has to undergo now audits on a number of areas by the Federal Aviation Administration in Washington, will very likely SkyTeam partner airline Delta commence flights from the US to Kenya before KQ will join the route.
Delta, twice stopped over the past years by the American government, the last time over security concerns, is very likely going to revive plans to fly via a West African waypoint to Nairobi and announcements are awaited in the near future.
The door for direct flights was opened by the Americans when Jomo Kenyatta International Airport passed the Category 1 audit last year and the Kenyan government then changed several regulations and laws to accommodate US requirements.
However, early enthusiasm, warned against here at the time, proved largely premature as the current application for landing rights by Kenya Airways can take as much a 8 months, going by a statement made by CEO Mbuvi Ngunze. This will put a flight launch firmly into 2018 and news updates, as and when available, will be posted here.
