Kenya Extends Travel Ban to UK by One Month

Kenya has extended the ban on flights from Nairobi to London by one month, further straining Kenya Airways' finances ahead of a peak travel season.

In early April, the UK placed Kenya on its "red list" over fears of the new Covid-19 variants. In retaliation, Kenya on April 9, banned all flights to the European nation.

The travel bans resulted in massive financial losses by Kenya Airways due to ticket refunds and potential revenue in flights between the two countries.

Initially, the ban was to conclude on May 5, prompting the national carrier to inform its esteemed customers that it was resuming its flights to London.

“Our flights to London are back, book your flights ticket and travel safely to reconnect with family and friends you have been missing,” KQ told customers in a text message.

However, Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) Director-General Gilbert Kibe announced that the ban will remain in place until June 5.

“The suspension on flights between Kenya and UK is still on. We have extended the Notice to the Airmen by another one month,”  Kibe said.

The government has also directed all non-citizens coming into the country to self-isolate for a period of 14 days before they can be allowed into the country.

The decision by Kenya to uphold the ban on the UK will see reduced tourism activities in the country ahead of the summer holidays.

However, Kenya along with 42 other nations still remains on UK's red list over a high number of Covid-19 cases.

The European nation has, however, allowed its citizens to leave the country during the holidays.