This archive report was first published on 2 December 2019.
Kenya's air traffic passenger numbers have seen significant growth, with domestic passengers increasing by 12% and international passengers by 7.6%.
According to the Standard (December 2, 2019), the number of passengers into Kenya grew to 12.07 million from 11.02 million in 2018. Additionally, transit traffic also increased by 8% and freight by 11% this year.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) Director, Gilbert Kibe, attributes this growth to the introduction of low-cost carriers and efficient airspace management.
As part of its reforms, KCAA is reviewing and reorganizing its organizational structure to better regulate air safety in Kenya. This includes hiring additional workers to work in oversight roles, such as safety inspectors, licensing personnel, and air traffic controllers.
“To better regulate air safety in Kenya, we are reviewing and reorganizing our organizational structure with a view to upscale and enhance our capacity and position to oversight the expanding Aviation Industry,” said Director General Gilbert Kibe.
Furthermore, KCAA is looking to repeal the ban on drone operation in the country by next year. In March, parliament banned the use of drones over privacy concerns.
“We assure to appeal to the committee to approve drone operations to go on in the next few months,” said Kibe.
