Kenya Airways staff who were detained by the Congolese military in April have been released. The national carrier announced the resumption of its flight operations in Kinshasa following the unconditional release.
KQ reiterated that the two staff members remain innocent, and the airline will continue to support them. KQ CEO Allan Kilavuka confirmed the release in a press statement on Monday, May 6, vouching for their innocence.
“We want to reiterate that our employees are innocent and were only carrying out their duties in strict adherence to the laid out procedures. We stand by their innocence and will continue to support them,” said Kilavuka.
POSITION STATEMENT: Kenya Airways confirms the release of detained employees & flight resumption to Kinshasa pic.twitter.com/V5y93dEZ6s
— Kenya Airways (@KenyaAirways) May 6, 2024
Kenya Airways has announced the resumption of flights to Kinshasa following the release of their two staff members by the Congolese military. This development allows the airline to provide the necessary support required to resume operations in Kinshasa. KQ CEO Allan Kilavuka informed customers and affected passengers that flights to and from Kinshasa will resume starting Wednesday, May 8, 2024.
“With the necessary ground support in place, we are pleased to announce that Kenya Airways will resume flights to Kinshasa on May 8, 2024. We look forward to serving our valued customers once again,” he said.
Kilavuka expressed gratitude to the Kenyan government and Kenya Airways staff for their efforts in securing the release of their colleagues. He also reaffirmed the airline’s commitment to cooperate with investigative agencies and government entities in both the DRC and Kenya.
The suspension of Kenya Airways flights to Kinshasa on April 30, 2024, had significant implications for air transport in the DRC, leading to a crisis in the Congolese aviation sector.
“We fly daily to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The suspension of the flight caused inconveniences on the route, but we apologise to our customers,” said a source privy to the matter.
The cessation of Kenya Airways operations on the Congo route led to a shortage of air seats, creating a crisis at airports in the country. With Kenya Airways withdrawing its services, there was a significant reduction in the number of available passenger seats, resulting in a daily loss of 259 air seats and a total decrease of 1,813 seats per week.
This reduction in air capacity left passengers scrambling for available seats amid the diminished supply.
