This archive report was first published on 6 November 2019.
On November 6, 2019, the United Kingdom's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) issued a travel warning to its citizens using Wilson Airport in Nairobi for travel.
The warning comes after a series of incidents involving aircraft at the airport, including a Silverstone airplane that veered off the runway while taking off and a SafariLink plane carrying 10 passengers that veered off the runway after a tyre burst.
According to the FCO, if you plan to charter a private aircraft, check with the company's safety pilot about the condition of the aircraft and runways to be used. If the company has no safety pilot, find another company that does.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) had been summoned by members of parliament to determine the level of safety compliance following the incidents. The KCAA was required to report to the committee its findings in the probe on all the fleet of aircraft operating through Wilson Airport.
The mishaps involving Wilson Airport-based light aircraft have exposed laxity in enforcing safety rules by the aviation regulator.
Be vigilant at all times when transiting airports, the FCO advised.
