This archive report was first published on 6 August 2020.
Kenya has resumed international flights, five months after suspending them due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The experience of flying has changed significantly since the pandemic, with passengers now required to present a negative polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) test certificate, 96 hours before travel.
Maureen Muthaura, a recruitment expert, was one of the first Kenyans to fly under the new post-Covid-19 guidelines. She flew from Indonesia through Dubai back home and reported that the journey was safe, with all flight attendants wearing masks and personal protective equipment.
However, social distancing protocols on board were not strictly enforced, with passengers allowed to sit close to each other. This move has been deemed safe by aircraft manufacturer Boeing, which says that all passengers are Covid-19 negative.
Upon arrival, passengers are required to log in their health details to the Ministry of Health of Kenya website and undergo temperature checks. The airport also provides kits with hand sanitizer, rubber gloves, and masks to passengers.
Maureen Muthaura noted that the check-out process at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) was tedious, with only thirty people allowed to disembark at a time. She also expressed uncertainty about whether passengers should self-quarantine after leaving the airport.
Kenya had previously resumed local flights in July, with President Uhuru Kenyatta announcing that domestic flights would return to allow movement in the country. Cargo flights have been in operation throughout the pandemic, supplying goods from other countries to sustain demand.
