Local airline to launch direct flights from Nairobi to Mombasa

Silverstone’s air cabin Crew await to welcome its clients on board. [Standard]

Low cost carrier, Silverstone Air which has debuted on the Nairobi - Mombasa route is set to start daily early morning flights from the Port city to Nairobi on August 31.

The early morning service is a boost to business people going to transact deals in Nairobi and who want to be back home the same day.

Stakeholders in the hospitality industry at the Coast had challenged budget carriers to introduce such a flight out of Mombasa.

'' We are already excited at the prospects of having an ealry morning low cost flight operating out of Mombasa to Nairobi.  Apart from being pocket friendly, it will help those with day deals to cut in Nairobi conduct their businesses and return back same day,'' Mr Victor Shitakah, chairman of Kenya Coast Tourist Association and General Manager of Flamingo by Pride Inn Beach Resort said.

Silverstone Air Sales Manager, Mr Patrick Oketch told The Standard that everything is in place to start the early morning service.

'' We have heeded customers demands and are introducing the early morning flight effective August 31st, 2018,'' Oketch said.

He said that already the budget airlline that flies to Diani in the South Coast, Lamu, Malindi, Lodwar, and Kisumu will be having an aircraft stationed at the Moi International Airport for the early morning flights to Nairobi.

On July 12, Silverstone made an entry into the world famous Maasai Mara with a new service to serve the tourism industry.

'' We already started flights to Mombasa on Saturday, Wednesday and Thursdays. The Saturday flight from Wilson airport to Mombasa will be at 12.00 mid-day arriving Mombasa at 1.00 pm before departing at 1.30 pm for Wilson,'' he said.

On the Wilson-Mombasa route, Silverstone Air is charging Sh4600 one way inclusive of airport tax.

Oketch added that the Wednesday and Thursday flights leave Wilson airport at 9.30 am to arrive in Mombasa at 10.30 am before departing at 11.00 am for Wilson airport.

Oketch said that from August 31, 2018, they will be operating daily flights between Wilson airport and Mombasa using a Fokker 50 aircraft.

The airline official said that they are in the process of adding a Dash 8-300 from a Canadian firm to boost its young fleet.

'' We are targeting to cover the whole of Kenya by air and soon we shall be landing in all the 47 counties in the republic,'' Oketch said of his airline ambitious expansion strategy.

 The airline has set up a dedicated 24 hour call centre at the ultra-modern office at the Kenrail Towers, Westlands Nairobi to cater for clients needs.