Aviation securityU.S. and Kenya open talks to resume direct flights
The United States is resuming talks with Kenya to discuss the reopening of direct flights between the two countries; due to fears of terrorism from neighboring Somalia, in September 2009 U.S. officials cancelled a Delta Airlines flight just hours before the fully-booked plane was schedule to depart; the flight would have been the first direct link between the two countries since the late 1980s
Kenya's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport // Source: airport-technology.com
The United States is resuming talks with Kenya to discuss the reopening of direct flights between the two countries.
Due to fears of terrorism from neighboring Somalia, in September 2009 U.S. officials cancelled a Delta Airlines flight just hours before the fully-booked plane was schedule to depart. The flight would have been the first direct link between the two countries since the late 1980s.
DHS officials cited “security vulnerabilities” as the reason for cancelling flight. The decision angered Kenyan officials who worried that the cancellation of the direct flights would hamper tourism.
At the time, Kenyan foreign affairs minister Moses Wetang’ula complained that “the American government sent a security detail to look at our airport, raised a few concerns, they were corrected and they expressed satisfaction and a date for the maiden flight was set for today.”
He added, “The cancellation of the flight was not done in a manner expected of friends, because they simply posted something on the website and it was picked up by many readers before we, as a country and a government, were notified.”
Now that talks have resumed, Kenyan officials are eager to see the return of direct flights.
“We had security personnel meeting with the US Embassy and our own security officers from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and Nairobi. Everything was cleared at that time, I think the main issue then was the issue of Somalia, and the US Homeland Security decided to cancel the flight because of Somalia, not because of Kenya,” said Najib Balala, Kenya’s tourism minister.
“Those issues have now changed. Also, with communication lines now further open, we shall also look into travel advisories on the country by the US as security in the country is stable and most incidents are in isolated areas,” he added after meeting with Ambassador Scott Gration.
The news that talks would resume were welcomed in Kenya, as the United States is Kenya’s largest tourism market and officials hope that resuming direct flights will result in an increase in tourism.
“Kenya is already like a magnet for international corporations, but there are some issues that need to be dealt with such as the full implementation of the Constitution and stability after the next general elections, it will be easy to get the investment that is needed in this country to help development. I am extremely optimistic these issues will be dealt with,” Gration said.
