Kenyan national carrier Kenya Airways has said it will resume direct flights between Nairobi and Mogadishu on Thursday, February 15, as part of efforts to boost regional connectivity and economic development.
“Kenya Airways has reintroduced nonstop flights to Mogadishu, Somalia, signaling a landmark achievement in regional connectivity and development. The thrice-weekly flights will bring about greater convenience of nonstop travel, focusing on reduced travel time and enhanced accessibility between Nairobi and Mogadishu,” the airline said in a statement.
“The Somalia flight[s] will operate from Terminal 2 at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Kenya Airways had initially launched flights to Mogadishu in December 2018 but had to suspend the route due to the pandemic. In August 2023, bilateral air services agreement between Kenya and Somalia were signed paving the way for direct flights,” it added.
Kenya Airways, also known by its abbreviation KQ, said its expanded global network “now connects passengers to 43 global destinations, providing more convenient travel options”.
Its chief executive officer, Allan Kilavuka, was quoted by the statement as saying the flights between Nairobi and Mogadishu “will undoubtedly enhance trade and economic opportunities between our connected regions, stimulate tourism and strengthen cultural and social ties”.
“Apart from passenger services, our recently acquired B737-800 Freighter has started ferrying cargo directly between
Sharjah and Mogadishu with a weekly flight and plans to increase this to twice weekly by April 2024,” Kilavuka said.
The Kenyan carrier’s move came just over a year after Somalia’s airspace regained its Class A classification after more than 30 years due to the country’s civil war.
Both Kenya and Somalia are members of the regional trade bloc East African Community (EAC).
Boost for EAC
Somalia’s information, culture and tourism minister Daud Aweis said on X that the KQ flights between Mogadishu and Nairobi “will boost trade between our two countries and [the] EAC”.
Kenya Airways, like other carriers, was severely affected by travel restrictions imposed by governments to curb the spread of the pandemic.
Turkish Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines and other commercial airlines also fly to several parts of Somalia, which currently does not have an official flag carrier after the state-run airline halted services in 1991 when the country’s civil conflict flared up.
