Kenya’s Transport Ministry has approved additional flights for Ethiopian Airlines and Fly Dubai into Mombasa.
The decision to open up Mombasa will however not be welcome by all especially Kenya’s national carrier. The move will most definitely upset Kenya Airways (KQ) which had been lobbying the government to prevent such approvals.
Under the implementation of the open skies policy, the government of Kenya announced that Ethiopian Airlines will now be allowed to fly directly into Mombasa twice a week. This will escalate competition with KQ which has dominated the route.
Additionally, Fly Dubai has been granted permission to fly directly to Mombasa from Dubai within two months.
“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.
Fly Dubai has however not been approved to fly to Nairobi.
While the ministry aims to strike a balance between protecting local airlines and attracting business and tourists, valid concerns have been raised by Kenya Airways. KQ argues that Kenya could end up with one-sided deals with foreign carriers under the open skies policy. This is because there is no reciprocity guaranteed.
Despite the approval for Ethiopian Airlines to compete in the domestic market, there are concerns that KQ might not enjoy similar opportunities in Ethiopia’s airports. This could potentially impact its ability to expand its operations in a challenging financial environment.
Revitalizing tourism
Coast County governors and hoteliers have been advocating for the full implementation of the open skies policy. They argue that this policy will contribute to revitalize the tourism sector. The move they say will create jobs, and fill the region’s over 40,000 beds.
Tourism is a critical economic lifeline for the region, but connectivity challenges have hindered its potential. The policy’s proponents argue that allowing international flights directly into Mombasa will significantly boost tourism numbers.
However, the issue remains a subject of contention, as some carriers have faced challenges in obtaining approvals for expanded operations.
With the aviation industry still recovering from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, the decision to grant more flights to international carriers has raised questions about its potential impact on Kenya’s local airline and tourism sector.
