Starting next week, Zambia will suspend all Kenya Airways-operated flights from landing in Zambia. This is due to a reciprocity issue.
ZAMBIA SUSPENDS KENYA AIRWAYS FLIGHTS
Zambia’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has notified its Kenyan counterpart that all Kenya Airways flights will be disallowed from next Tuesday.
In a letter dated 2 October, addressed to the director general of Kenya’s Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), Captain Derrick Luembe, Director General at Zambia’s Civil Aviation Authority stated that “all Kenya Airways flights into Zambia are suspended with effect from 21.59 UTC on 8 October”.
ZAMBIA AIRWAYS SEEKS NAIROBI FLIGHTS
Zambia Airways had already requested rights to operate scheduled flights from Lusaka into Nairobi, Kenya.
The application for a foreign operator’s permit (FOP) was successful, with Zambia Airways being granted approval by KCAA.
WET-LEASED AIRCRAFT
Zambia Airways has secured a Boeing 737-700 aircraft on a wet lease, to operate flights between Lusaka and Nairobi.
However, authorization for Zambia Airways to operate flights into Nairobi using the wet-leased Boeing 737- 700 aircraft was not granted.
Zambia’s CAA then appealed to Kenya’s CAA to reconsider this and to authorize Zambia Airways to fly into Nairobi using the wet-leased Boeing 737-700 aircraft.
ALSO READ: Kenya Airways introduces sustainability training
RISING TENSIONS
Kenya’s Civil Aviation Authority has not granted authorisation to Zambia Airways to operate services into Nairobi with the wet-leased Boeing 737-700.
The ongoing matter has been the cause of rising tension.
Zambia’s Ministry of Transport and Logistics wrote another letter (dated 26 July 2024) to the Kenyan Minister of Transport, seeking intervention.
However, there has still been no response from the minister.
Furthermore, on 12 September Zambian authorities held a meeting with Kenya’s acting high commissioner to Zambia to discuss this matter.
Zambia’s ministry was requested to submit all relevant documentation relating to the matter.
NO RESPONSE FROM KENYA
All relevant documents were submitted during the meeting on 12 September.
Kenya’s acting high commissioner promised that feedback would be given by the end of the following week.
However, to date, there has been no response regarding this.
Zambia again contacted the KCAA on 1 October to discuss the matter, but the KCAA has not responded.
ZAMBIA SUSPENDS ALL KENYA AIRWAYS FLIGHTS
According to Zambia Monitor, the ZCAA has therefore decided to suspend all Kenya Airways flights from landing in Zambia.
“Considering the lack of response and reciprocity on the matter of Zambia Airways flights into Nairobi, Kenya. I regret to inform you that all Kenya Airways flights into Zambia, are hereby suspended with effect from 21.59 UTC (Universal Coordinated Time) on 8 October 2024.” Luembe said.
