Passengers board an airplane at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) during the launch of Jambojet’s direct flight to the Eastern DRC city of Goma on September 10, 2021. PHOTO | LUCY WANJIRU | NMG Local airlines are increasing frequency on the Kisumu route ahead of next month’s Africities summit.
The ninth edition of the meeting is scheduled to take place between May 16 and May 21 and is expected to host more than 8,000 delegates.
Kisumu International Airport manager Selina Gor says some of the local airlines had started recording advanced bookings as early as February.
Airlines like Jambojet Airlines are overstretched and contemplating adding another flight to meet the demand.
"Kenya Airways and Jambojet have confirmed they may increase the frequency of flights. They will give us new schedules at the end of the month," said Ms Gor.
Safarilink Airline has indicated that they may increase their frequencies from three to four.
"Fly 748 are still in discussion at their senior management level on the increase of flights. They will revert with a schedule," she said.
The budget carrier Jambojet has more flights to Kisumu compared to other destinations. Jambojet does 27 flights weekly from Nairobi to Kisumu.
The national carrier Kenya Airways is currently connecting to Kisumu with 21 flights weekly. Likewise, Safarilink Airline does four times daily flights to Kisumu.
"AirKenya, unless there will be requests for charters they have indicated they will maintain their present frequency," said Ms Gor.
Air Renegade sales and marketing manager Patrick Oketch has added a flight at 11 am to keep up with the increasing demand."We will have four daily flights to cater to more passengers including those who might not be necessarily coming for the Africities Summit," said Mr Oketch.Already Kenya Airport Authority has set aside sh250 million for the expansion of the Kisumu International Airport passenger terminal to accommodate more passengers.The project is geared towards accommodating one million passengers annually from the current 500000 passengers. eojina@ke.nationmedia.com
