This archive report was first published on 19 November 2019.
Kenya's aviation sector is set to lose another player as Silverstone Air Services Limited prepares to wind up its operations in the country.
The decision comes after a string of incidents that have raised concerns over the airline's air safety record. On November 18, the airline issued a one-month redundancy notice to its pilots and crew, citing the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority's (KCAA) decision to ground its Dash 8 fleet for a week.
According to a statement issued by Silverstone, the airline has become redundant following the KCAA's decision, which has resulted in the grounding of its passenger services. The airline's brand equity has also suffered irreparable damage due to mass cancellations of tickets, making it impossible for the company to continue operating commercially.
Despite the challenges, Silverstone assured its staff that the decision to close down operations has nothing to do with their productivity. The airline's decision comes after a series of incidents, including an emergency landing at the Eldoret International Airport on October 28, after a tire fell off a plane shortly after takeoff from Lodwar Airstrip in Turkana County.
Other incidents include a Silverstone aircraft clipping an EASSAX aircraft at Wilson Airport shortly before takeoff, and a Lamu-bound Silverstone aircraft carrying 50 passengers crashing at Wilson Airport on October 11. Fortunately, there were no fatalities in the latter incident.
See Also: KCAA Probing Silverstone Air Over Security Incidents
