On 17 December 2019, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) announced its latest decision on 27 licence applications, granting 14 licenses and varying 10. One application was deferred, while two variations were denied.
Among the airlines granted licenses are Smartwings Poland, which operates tour charter flights to Mombasa, and Tanzania's Regional Air Services Limited, which will operate non-scheduled air service for passengers between designated entry-exit points in Kenya and Tanzania.
Other airlines granted licenses include Renegade Air Limited, Penial Air Limited, Westwind Aviation Limited, Jambojet, Vintage Air Charters Limited, Bonge Air Services Limited, Level Up Limited, Lady Lori Helicopters Limited, and Ocean Airlines Limited, all with one-year licenses.
Additionally, licenses that have been allowed variation include Pro Flight Limited, Aberdair Aviation Limited, Aerolink Flight Centre Limited, SAC (K) Limited, HAMCO Aviation Limited, and Governors Aviation Limited.
However, KCAA denied Saudi Arabian Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines their expansion requests, citing reasons not for public consumption.
Despite the denial, Saudi Arabian Airlines has been allowed to operate international non-scheduled all cargo air service on 13 major routes, including Jeddah-Nairobi-Jeddah and Jeddah-Nairobi-Moscow.
On the other hand, Ethiopian Airlines has been granted a two-year licence to operate international non-scheduled all cargo air service on the routes Addis Ababa-Nairobi-Addis Ababa and Liege-Nairobi-Addis Ababa.
The licence application for Imatong Airlines Limited has been deferred, pending further review.
