KQ Issues Statement After Several Failed Flight Landings in Somalia

Kenya Airways has confirmed that several of its flights have made unsuccessful attempts to land at Mogadishu Airport in Somalia since May 24.

In a statement on Tuesday, June 4, KQ said that adverse weather conditions over Somalia made it difficult for the flights to touch down at the airport.

The airline further intimated that the flights had to be redirected to Nairobi as a safety precaution.

“Kenya Airways (KQ) confirms that since May 24, 2024, due to adverse weather activities over Somalia, a few of our flights into Mogadishu have experienced stronger-than-usual tailwinds that have made it impossible to safely land the aircraft,” read part of the statement.

The airline noted that its crew did not opt to use an alternative runway approach overflying Mogadishu until the airport authorities in Mogadishu mitigated the security and safety concerns.

However, KQ disclosed that the airport authorities have since addressed the matter and the flights can now land safely in Mogadishu. 

“We deeply understand and regret the inconvenience these circumstances beyond our control have caused our esteemed customers. We are proactively communicating with the impacted customers. We thank them for their patience and understanding and reiterate that their safety and that of our crew is our one priority,” KQ stated.

This comes days after a KQ flight suffered a bird strike while landing at Kisumu International Airport. 

The national carrier, however, confirmed that all passengers and crew were safe, and the aircraft was successfully moved from the runway after getting stuck on the runway after the incident.