Kenya Airways to announce future of west Africa bound flights

Outgoing Kenya Airways CEO Titus Naikuni.

Nairobi, Kenya: National carrier Kenya Airways Wednesday said it would make a statement announcing the future of its flights to West African countries that have been hit by Ebola epidemic.

Kenya Airways Group Managing Director and CEO Titus Naikuni said the announcement will be made Thursday after reviewing advice from stakeholders.

“Senior management within KQ have today (Wednesday) been reviewing facts and advice from IATA, Word Health Organisation (WHO) and the Ministry of Health Kenya Government on air operations into the Ebola affected regions of West Africa,” said Naikuni in a press statement.

Naikuni, however, said that none of the aforementioned institutions have strongly advised against flights to those countries.

“While none of these institutions have strongly advised that air operations should cease, Kenya Airways has religiously followed the advice given by the same to mitigate risks associated with flying there,” he said.

World Health Organisation had earlier in the day classified Kenya as a high risk area for the deadly Ebola outbreak, by virtue of being a major transport hub in the region. The announced was made during a press conference in Nairobi.

There has been growing concern from interested parties and Kenyans over Kenya Airways’ failure to suspend flights to the Ebola-hit countries even after major international airlines halted operations West Africa.

The death toll from the worst ever outbreak of Ebola has reached 1,013 in the afftected West African countries, according to WHO.