This archive report was first published on 14 July 2020.
On July 15, 2020, Kenya marked a significant step towards economic recovery as domestic flights resumed operations after a prolonged lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The move was announced by President Uhuru Kenyatta in his last state of the nation address on the pandemic.
According to the Kenya Tourism Board, Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala was expected to preside over the reception ceremony at Moi International Airport (MIA) to welcome local flights. The ceremony took place on Wednesday, with Balala welcoming the first flight from Nairobi operated by Kenya Airways around mid-day.
Other flights expected to touch down at MIA included those operated by low-cost carriers Jambojet and Fly540. In a separate ceremony, KTB Chief Executive Officer Dr. Betty Radier, along with Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang Nyongo, welcomed another KQ flight from Nairobi in Kisumu.
International passenger flights were set to resume operations on August 1, 2020, in a bid to cushion the aviation sector, which had been severely affected by the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. The resumption of domestic flights marked a significant milestone in Kenya's efforts to revive its economy and restore normalcy in the wake of the pandemic.
