KQ effects State's ban on flights

Kenya Airways will, starting tomorrow, suspend its international passenger flights in compliance with a government directive to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Cargo flights will, however, remain operational to offer emergency services and supplies.

“Today (Sunday) the Government of Kenya has issued a directive that requires all incoming and outgoing international passenger traffic to cease from midnight on March 25, 2020. To comply with this directive, we have temporarily suspended all international services effective midnight March 25, 2020 until further notice,” said KQ Managing Director and CEO Allan Kilavuka.

He noted that domestic flights to Mombasa and Kisumu would remain operational, adding that the company had been forced to reduce its network by more than 70 per cent, making it difficult to continue offering international passenger services.

Change bookings

Customers affected by the suspension of flights have been advised to change bookings and travel later.

On Sunday Health Cabinet secretary Mutahi Kagwe announced government plan to suspend international flights effective tomorrow in a raft of measures to thwart the spread of Covid-19.

Mr Kagwe said those coming into the country between Sunday and Wednesday, whether Kenyan citizens or foreigners, would undergo mandatory quarantine at a government designated facility at their expense.

On Saturday, Kenya Airways announced that staff salaries would be temporarily trimmed by at least 50 per cent.

The CEO is to take a pay cut of 80 per cent. The decision will be reviewed on monthly basis.

“We are, therefore, not taking any decision on layoffs. Instead, we would like everybody to participate in taking a salary reduction as well as paid and unpaid leave,” said Kilavuka.

Yesterday Kenya confirmed the sixteenth case. At least 294,110 cases and 12,944 deaths have been reported in the world, according to the World Health Organisation.