(Jomo Kenyatta International Airport) Traveling just got a lot easier and more secure for passengers leaving from East Africa’s capital city Nairobi to the U.S.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the government of Kenya reached a major milestone when improvements to a passenger screening gate – that spanned more than 10 years – were completed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi, Kenya.
TSA Regional Director for Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia Jason Schwabel was joined by TSA Representative (TSAR) for East Africa Peter Alexander, U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Eric Kneedler, other key members of TSA and the Kenyan government, and aviation stakeholders in celebrating the momentous occasion at NBO on March 2.
“Today’s handover ceremony at Gate 19 celebrates the completion of a state-of-the-art screening checkpoint that increases security effectiveness and improves the passenger experience,” said Schwabel. “With the completion of this project, Kenya Airport Authority now operates one of the most technologically advanced gate screening checkpoints in the world.”
The decade-long project, which began as a Last Point of Departure (LPD) request, added modern screening technologies to NBO’s Gate 19 to create a checkpoint with world class security while making traveling more efficient for passengers boarding flights to the U.S.
“This project would not have been possible without the dedication and expertise of TSARs Gary Seffel, Chris Coffey and Peter Alexander who spearheaded this project over the years,” said Schwabel. “In addition, this project could not have been successful without the cooperation and partnership with TSA Compliance, International Operations (IO), Policy Plans and Engagement (PPE) and the Federal Air Marshal Service counter man-portable air-defense systems program.”
NBO is one of the more recent airports to receive LPD status in Africa. LPD is when an airline provides direct flights to the U.S. and its territories from a foreign airport.
Work toward attaining LPD status began when Delta Air Lines submitted a request in 2009 to have direct flights from NBO to John F. Kennedy International Airport.
The request was denied due to NBO’s potential security vulnerabilities and falling short of meeting International Civil Aviation Organization Annex 17 standards and recommended practices.
TSA leadership in IO, PPE, and Compliance launched a mentorship program with the government of Kenya and Kenya Airways that would eventually become a multi-year partnership to improve NBO’s aviation security baseline and lead the airport to achieving LPD status.
Five years later another LPD request was submitted by Kenya Airways, further encouraging […]