Direct flight between Mombasa-Kisumu launched

A section of Kisumu International Airport (PHOTO: Courtesy)

MOMBASA, KENYA: Travellers will now be able to fly directly to Kisumu from Mombasa's Moi International Airport (MIA) following the launch of low cost carrier Silverstone Air.

This will be the first ever direct flight connecting the two towns since independence.

The inaugural flight will be on Friday on a Dash 8 -100 aircraft leaving Kisumu at 1.00pm and arriving Mombasa at 2.30 pm.

It will then depart for Kisumu at 3.00pm arriving at 4.30 pm.

In the first two weeks of inception, the airline will be operating on Fridays and Sundays but on the third week will add Wednesday to its flight days with timings remaining the same.

An introductory fare of Sh10, 500 will be charged per person on a one way basis.

Silverstone's Sales Manager, Patrick Oketch told The Standard in Mombasa where he has pitched camp to prepare for the maiden flight that a grand reception to inaugurate the flight will be held in Kisumu on Friday .

'' We are all set to revolutionise air travel between the two major Kenyan cities. We hope to tap into traffic that will include tourists, families and business people from across the border coming to transact business at the Port of Mombasa,'' he said.

Kisumu Governor Peter Anyang' Nyong'o will officiate Kisumu launch.

Oketch said that Silverstone will apart from the Dash 8-100 aircraft also deploy a Fokker 50 and Dash 8-300 (both have capacities to carry 50 passengers).