This archive report was first published on 19 December 2019.
The Cost of Airline Delays ¶
As I sat at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on a Sunday evening, watching an English Premier League match, I couldn't help but think about the frustrating experience I had with Kenya Airways just a few days prior.
My flight from Nairobi to Kigali was delayed by over an hour, and when I finally boarded the plane, I was told that it was due to a technical problem that had not been resolved in time. The pilot apologized for the delay, explaining that they had to wait for another plane.
However, my experience didn't end there. On my return flight from Kigali to Nairobi, I was subjected to another round of delays and cancellations. We departed at 9:30 pm, but the flight was delayed by over an hour, and when we finally landed, we were stuck on the taxiway for 45 minutes waiting for the airplane ladder to be fixed.
But what really took the cake was when a young man, who I later found out was a health worker, shouted 'Ebola check, Ebola check' as we disembarked from the plane. He directed us to fill out forms and stand in a designated area, but he never asked for our passports to validate what we had written.
It was clear that the airline had not provided the necessary information to its customers, and the staff were not trained to handle such situations. The young man, who was perhaps given a job he wasn't fit for, did what he could, but it was a reflection of the Kenya we live in, where nepotism takes precedence over national interest.
As a professor of entrepreneurship at the University of Nairobi's School of Business, I have always been an ardent supporter of Kenya Airways. However, my recent experiences have tested my loyalty scale, and I am starting to think that emerging airlines like Rwanda Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines are chipping off the market share from KQ's inadequacies.
Research has shown that time lost as a result of delays often leads to productivity losses, both to the customer and the airline. There is an urgent need to upgrade the airport infrastructure and human resource to effectively manage air traffic as a strategy to lower the cost of flight delays.
Delays on the taxiways and in disembarking are caused by negligent airport workers. In my view, there have been too many delays, cancellations as a result of airline and airport management authorities to raise regulatory concerns.
It's time for us to take responsibility and realize the potential of building a great airline operating from a great airport, with wonderful people and a proud country.
