Kenya extends Dubai flight ban as stalemate continues

Kenya has extended the suspension of all inbound and transit passenger flights from the United Arabs Emirates (UAE) by another week after Dubai failed to lift a ban on air travellers from the East African nation.

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) Monday issued the order extending the Dubai fights suspension until January 24, 2022 after the two nations failed to reach a settlement.

Mr Kibe said the racket involved private medical testing centres that colluded with travellers to issue fake Covid-19 PCR results to aid their travel to Dubai.

The Ministry of Health has launched a probe on the matter with a view to bringing to book health officials involved in the fraud that has now cost Kenya millions of shillings in lost flight revenues.

The directive comes as a blow to Kenya Airways, which had seen an increase in bookings on this route occasioned by the ongoing Dubai Expo 2020 exhibition.

Kenya Airways suspended passenger flights to Dubai last month in line with the directive.

The national carrier said it would refund passengers who had booked tickets for travel within the suspension period. The travellers will also be allowed to rebook when flights resume.

Dubai-based Emirates also announced it was suspending its flights to comply with Kenya’s new directive.

The extension of the Dubai–Nairobi passenger flights ban comes at a time Kenya is recording a drop in the Covid infections.

The positivity rate declined to 7.8 per cent on Sunday from a high of more than 30 per cent at the beginning of the year.

This article originally came from the East African

Blessing MwangiJanuary 18, 2022