From midnight Monday, Kenya is once more allowing passenger flights from the United Arab Emirates. The suspension in retaliation to Dubai banning passenger flights from Kenya over falsified COVID test certificates lasted for two weeks. Meanwhile, the Kenyan Civil Aviation Authority says that the reason for lifting the ban is ‘not for public consumption’. The ban on both sides has affected both Emirates and Kenya Airways’ passenger operations. However, cargo flights were excluded from the suspension. Photo: Getty Images Two weeks of retaliatory measures
The news comes a week after the Kenyan government first decided to extend the ban, following the UAE’s refusal to remove the country from its red travel list. The UAE first banned passengers from Kenya back in December 2021 in order to curb the spread of Omicron.
However, after allowing travel to resume, several travelers tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival in Dubai, despite presenting negative certificates prior to boarding their flights. As such, the UAE decided to extend the ban, without a clear time-frame for when it would be lifted.
The East African country then retaliated by banning all incoming and transit passengers from the UAE. Authorities had intended for the decision to last for one week . However, the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority failed to meet a communication deadline set by its Kenyan counterpart. As such, the ban was extended for another seven days.
Meanwhile, it seems the Kenyan government has tired of holding out, and yesterday went ahead and lifted the ban without reciprocal measures from its Middle Eastern regulator colleagues.
“Kenya shall do a NOTAM lifting the suspension of flights to and from the UAE from midnight tonight,” Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) Director-General Gilbert Kibe told Captial News yesterday.
However, Mr Kibe kept the government’s cards close, pointing out that “ the reason for lifting the suspension is not for public consumption .” Many passengers to and from Nairobi connect with Emirates through the airline’s hub in Dubai. Photo: Vincenzo Pace/Simple Flying Severe issues for connectivity
Dubai serves as a connecting hub from Nairobi out into the rest of the world. Budget carriers feed passengers and cargo to the Kenyan capital, transported onwards by first and foremost Emirates and national airline Kenya Airways . The ban on incoming travelers via Dubai heavily affected Kenyans returning from abroad, particularly the US, Business Insider Africa reported last week.
Passengers with Kenya Airways were offered a refund or […]
