Flight ban to stay despite Kenya Airways losses

Kenya: Kenya is not planning to lift the flight ban on Ebola-hit West African countries despite Kenya Airways reporting losses as a result of not flying the routes.

Cabinet Secretary for Health James Macharia revealed that even though KQ was in the red, partly due to Ebola, the flight ban would stay until the disease was eliminated from West Africa.

Mr Macharia said even if the ban was lifted, it would not make a big difference to KQ's financial position because there would be few passengers flying to West Africa.

"We believe it would be more expensive to resume the flights since the planes would be flying with empty seats. But our priority is to ensure Ebola is not imported through flights," he said.

The CS said the impact of Ebola had not affected KQ alone but the entire aviation industry across the globe, with passenger numbers plunging by at least 25 per cent.

KQ has reported a Sh12.5 billion loss.

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