This archive report was first published on 6 July 2020.
On July 6, 2020, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced that local flights in Kenya would resume on July 15, while international flights would begin on August 1. This move aims to help airlines recover from the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of the efforts to ensure the safety of passengers, regional low-cost carrier Jambojet introduced measures to protect its passengers and crew from contracting the novel COVID-19 during travel. These measures include thorough sanitization of aircraft and the installation of High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filtration systems.
President Uhuru Kenyatta stated that airlines would operate under strict health guidelines, including temperature checks, provision of hand sanitizers, and mandatory facemask-wearing for all passengers and crew. Social distancing would also be observed in all queues and at the lounge.
Additionally, the nationwide curfew would be extended for a further 30 days, and movement in and out of Nairobi, Mombasa, and Mandera counties would be lifted on July 7 at 4am.
President Uhuru Kenyatta emphasized the need for cautious optimism, stating, "By reopening (the three counties), we must be cognisant of the fact that we are much more at risk when the restrictions were in place. We must exercise cautious optimism," in a televised address from Harambee House, Nairobi.
