Kenya Airways (KQ) has reassured its customers that flights to and from Zambia will proceed as planned, despite recent regulatory issues between the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) and the Zambia Civil Aviation Authority (ZCAA). Earlier, ZCAA had announced a suspension of all KQ flights effective October 8, 2024, due to unresolved authorization matters between the two nations.
In a statement issued on October 5, 2024, KQ clarified that discussions between the aviation regulators had resolved the issue, ensuring that flights remain unaffected. “Dear valued customers, we are aware of a letter by the Zambia Civil Aviation Authority to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority. Following discussions between the two regulators, we would like to assure our customers that our flights into and out of Zambia will continue to operate per schedule,” the airline stated.
KQ also apologized for any inconvenience caused and reaffirmed its commitment to customer satisfaction. It encouraged passengers seeking assistance to contact its Customer Excellence team through various platforms, including phone and WhatsApp.
KQ operates two daily flights from Nairobi to Lusaka, including a direct morning flight and an afternoon service with a stopover in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The regulatory tensions arose when ZCAA suspended KQ flights due to Kenya’s refusal to grant Zambia Airways authorization to fly into Nairobi using a wet-leased aircraft. In a letter dated October 2, 2024, ZCAA explained that despite Zambia Airways being granted a Foreign Operators Permit by Kenya, efforts to resolve the authorization issue had been unsuccessful. The Zambian authority had appealed to KCAA to reconsider its position, urging Kenya to allow Zambia Airways’ wet-leased B737-700 aircraft to operate flights into Nairobi.
However, the Zambia Civil Aviation Authority (ZCAA) emphasized that the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) had maintained its stance of not granting the necessary authorization for Zambia Airways. The letter from ZCAA detailed multiple appeals from Zambia’s Ministry of Transport and Logistics to Kenyan authorities, including a follow-up letter sent to Kenya’s Ministry of Transport on July 26, 2024, requesting intervention. Despite these efforts, the Zambian side claimed it had not received any response.
ZCAA Director General Captain Derrick Luembe further noted that he had personally reached out to KCAA on October 1, 2024, through email and WhatsApp, but had yet to receive any reply. “Considering the lack of response and reciprocity on the matter of Zambia Airways (2014) Limited flights into Nairobi-Kenya, I regret to inform you that all Kenya Airways flights into Zambia are hereby suspended with effect from 21:59 Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) on 8th October 2024,” Captain Luembe stated in the letter.
He concluded by expressing his regret over the suspension but affirmed that Zambia had no alternative but to enforce it unless the issue was resolved.
As Kenya Airways continues its scheduled operations, the diplomatic and regulatory standoff remains unresolved, with KQ encouraging its customers to stay updated through its customer service channels. The outcome of this ongoing dispute will be closely watched as the two countries seek a resolution.
