JKIA needs to enhance preparedness

Passengers stranded at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) after the closure of the airport’s runway on Sunday. PHOTO: BONIFACE OKENDO

The Jomo Kenyatta International Airport was temporarily closed yesterday evening. This was necessitated by the crash-landing of an airplane from Somalia.

The resultant emergency closure of the airport caused long departure delays and the diversion of all incoming flights to Moi International Airport, Mombasa.

While taking these precautions was the best thing to do at the time, the duration of the closure exposes inherent weaknesses at our airport.

For instance, the plane that crash-landed did not, mercifully, explode and even though it covered part of the runway, there should be other runways that should be free to allow the flow of air traffic without resorting to diverting or holding flights.

There is inconvenience that comes with this especially when planes are making refuelling stops, or when travellers have to change planes or are to attend meetings that require only a few hours before catching the next flight out.

This too, points to a serious lack of disaster preparedness. Clearly, pulling the intact but damaged plane from the runway to allow slightly delayed departures does not call for too much.

Taking note of such considerations and acting on them is the only way to elevate our airport to internationally acceptable standards.