Kenya doubles down on plan to give foreign carriers more access

The government has made another attempt to further open up Kenyan skies to foreign carriers, giving them greater freedom and flexibility in flying into Kenya.

This includes allowing them to operate more direct international flights into other cities besides Nairobi, including Mombasa.

Opening up the Kenyan skies has, in the past, been subject to heated debate. On the one hand, players say it could boost tourism and exports by increasing competition and lowering fares, but critics fear it could cripple local carriers, including Kenya Airways.

While relatively liberal, Kenya has been cautious about fully opening up its airspace.

Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) Director General Emile Arao said decisions are ongoing within the government, weighing both the pros and cons of further opening up its airspace.

This, he said, would see more international carriers operate direct flights into other airports, including the Moi International Airport in Mombasa.

"The Transport Ministry has said it is really looking at opening up for more carriers to come in. There is an interest in opening up the skies. A lot has been happening and there has been engagement with different ministries, including agriculture, trade, tourism, transport and other stakeholders to see what needs to be done so that at the end of the day the objective is of benefit to Kenyans," he said yesterday at the opening of the two-day Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation Africa Conference 2025 in Nairobi.

"There is a drive to understand what has been happening within the sector and if the policies are too protectionist... there is an approach to change how things have been happening."

Kenya is a key signatory to the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), the continental initiative to create a liberal civil aviation market.

It has, however, faced opposition from some countries and their national carriers, fearing that other, more financially muscled airlines might crush them.