Kenya has granted Ethiopian Airlines more flights into Mombasa alongside Fly Dubai in what is set to upset national carrier Kenya Airways, which has been lobbying the government to deny them approvals.
The Transport ministry, which is now implementing the open skies policy, says it has allowed Ethiopian Airlines to fly twice directly into Mombasa every week, setting the stage for intensified competition with KQ.
The ministry has also allowed the United Arab Emirates carrier Fly Dubai to fly directly to Mombasa, adding another cash-rich airline on the route.
“We have a balance between protecting our local airlines and inviting business and tourists into the country. But even in that situation, we have approved the Fly Dubai which will begin flying directly from Dubai to Mombasa in two months,” said Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.
However, he said Fly Dubai has not been approved to fly to Nairobi.
“We have also approved Ethiopian Airlines to fly twice directly to Mombasa. We are analysing the Turkish Airlines and many others,” he added.
The open skies policy requires easing access and rules of use of national airports for foreign airlines. However, KQ has argued that Kenya risks entering into one-sided deals with foreign carriers in the policy since there is no reciprocity guaranteed.
This means that Ethiopia Airlines will be allowed to fight with KQ in the domestic market but it will deny KQ the same fighting chance in its airports, in what could hurt its prospects of flying out of its loss-making territory.
Mr Murkomen said Kenya had received requests from international airlines that want to fly directly into the country.
Coast county governors Abdulswamad Nassir (Mombasa), Gideon Mung’aro (Kilifi) and Andrew Mwadime (Taita Taveta) and hoteliers have been pushing for the implementation of the policy for the full recovery of the tourism sector to fill the over 40,000 beds in the region and create jobs.
Tourism is the region’s economic lifeline employing thousands of youth. However, the sector has been struggling to attract tourists due to connectivity challenges.
Mr Nassir said the open sky policy will boost tourism numbers.
“We will not stop our reiteration of the fact that we need an open sky policy in Mombasa, otherwise this discussion that Zanzibar every time is competing with us will continue,” said Mr Nassir.
Lamu Governor Issa Timamy urged investors to build hotels in his county to boost the economy.
Hoteliers led by the chairman of the Diani Hospitality Owners Association, Mohammed Hersi, Kenya Coast Tourist Association (KCTA) chief executive officer Julius Owino and the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC) executive officer Sam Ikwaye said allowing international flights to Mombasa will boost tourism numbers.
“The State can support the coastal tourism industry, by allowing direct flights. The sector players are struggling with low bed occupancy,” said Dr Ikwaye.
Mr Hersi noted that Mombasa was for decades served by charter airlines before the post-election violence of 2007 and 2008, with the highest being 38 charters in 2007.
“We managed to claw back and recover and by 2012 we had 16 charters. Then terrorism came calling and non-essential travel advisories were declared by key tourist source markets including the UK, US, Canada good part of the EU and only Germany stood with us. Again charter flight numbers dropped to less than two,” said Mr Hersi.
He said the Mwai Kibaki administration also considered direct scheduled flights.
“Ethiopian Airlines and Rwanda Airlines started to fly and by 2014 Turkish Airlines joined them. In 2017 Jubilee government allowed Qatar Airlines to land directly in Mombasa which helped us replace the charter business,” he said.
Mr Hersi said during the Covid-19 pandemic, all flights were suspended globally but upon resumption of normal travel Qatar Airlines and Turkish Airlines were denied renewal.
He said Ethiopia Airlines was equally denied its second flight into Mombasa.
“KLM also applied and suffered the same fate. This is denying the Kenyan Coast the much-needed numbers to fill the beds in the resorts in Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi, Lamu, Taita Taveta and even Amboseli in Kajiado. This has reduced a major investment like Moi International Airport into a local airport,” he added.
Mr Hersi said Zanzibar, Capetown, Durban and Mauritius are all benefiting from the international flights.
