Government tightens baggage rules at JKIA in airport overhaul

Entry point to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Nairobi. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

The Government has tightened baggage-handling rules at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), warning passengers and airlines against practices that could breach aviation and security requirements.

Passengers travelling to Nairobi have been warned against attaching their luggage to that of other travellers. Baggage handled in this manner will be returned at the passenger’s own cost.

Airlines have also been directed to ensure baggage is correctly identified and processed either as passenger luggage or cargo.

“When we agree on certain things, it is critical that we follow them through. So that it is not just an issue of simply ticking the boxes,” said Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo.

Omollo, who chairs the Border Control and Operations Coordination Committee (BCOCC), said government agencies must implement resolutions reached to improve operations at the airport.

Cargo must pass through designated terminals and established procedures. Airlines that facilitate cargo movement outside authorised channels risk regulatory action, including suspension where applicable.

The measures are aimed at curbing irregular baggage practices, including carrying luggage beyond permissible passenger limits and breaching aviation safety and baggage-sizing requirements issued by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA).

The crackdown forms part of a wider plan to improve passenger processing, baggage handling and information sharing at Kenya’s main aviation hub.

The Government is deploying the Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) to improve identification and management of arriving and departing domestic and international flights.

The optimisation plan will also introduce a centralised system for airline check-in and passenger screening while creating clearer arrangements for arrivals and departures.

Immigration Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang called for greater cooperation among agencies involved in airport operations.

“We need a relationship between all the agencies. We need a coordinated approach; one that is intelligence-led,” Kipsang said.

He added that agencies must secure the country without disrupting legitimate movement.

“while ensuring that we don't compromise on travel and trade,” Kipsang said.

The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) is also expanding the airport, with a contractor already on site. The new terminal is expected to take 54 months to complete and increase capacity by about 10 million passengers annually.

The changes form part of the Sh154.2 billion JKIA modernisation programme, which aims to expand capacity and improve airport operations.

The Border Control and Operations Coordination Committee is also advancing the Advanced Passenger Registration (APR) system to improve information sharing and operational awareness. Associated data-control facilities are expected to become operational within the next month.

JKIA currently handles about 8.8 million passengers and more than 358 kilotonnes of cargo annually, with about 60 per cent of passengers travelling through the airport in transit.

The optimisation programme is expected to raise passenger-handling capacity from about eight million to 12 million passengers annually.