National carrier Kenya Airways has suspended its passenger flights to the United Kingdom effective 9th April 2021 until further notice.
The suspension comes after the Kenyan government issued a directive stopping all flights from Britain beginning on the 9th of this month.
Kenya Airways has however added two new flights to the UK to cater for the rising demand to travel on the 7th and 8th of April before the suspension takes effect.
According to the country’s national carrier, the suspension of flights came after it was directed to do so by the government.
“The suspension is due to the directive issued by the Government of Kenya suspending all flights from the UK, effective midnight 9th April 2021,” Kenya Airways said in a statement.
The Kenyan government on Saturday retaliated against the U.K government move to add Kenya to its ‘red list’, by issuing strict measures for U.K travelers arriving in the country.
The airline said that customers affected by the directive may change their booking for later travel or request a refund with all penalties waived.
The U.K will not accept foreign nationals travelling from or via Kenya to the UK, including transit passengers who might only pass through JKIA, Nairobi.
The cancelation of flights between Kenya and the key destination deals another blow to the national carrier, which recently reported its worst-ever loss of Sh36.2 billion ($332.6 million) for the year ended December 2020.
By Halligan Agade & Nyawira Mwangi
