Page 16 - World Airnews September 2020 Edition

AFRICA

TYCOONS’ 101 PLANES PUT

ON AUCTION OVER KAA FEES

By Bonface Otieno

bout 101 aircraft abandoned

Aat various airports across East
African country of Kenya are on the verge

of being auctioned after the Kenya Airports
Authority declared them a safety risk.
The KAA, the agency in charge of oper-
ations, safety and security at all Kenyan

airports, has given the aircraft’s owners 30

days to claim them or they will be sold at a

public auction.
The planes are said to belong to some of
the country’s wealthiest business tycoons,
politicians and commercial aircraft compa-

nies such as 748 Air Services, Silverstone,
Jetlink and Fly540.
Aircraft belonging to state agencies like

the Kenyan police, Moi University and the
Somalia air force are also at risk of coming

under the auctioneer’s hammer after Sep-

tember 14.

The KAA notice comes a month after Registration of new aircraft owned by gio Airport, including smaller models

Kenya allowed air travel to resume follow- wealthy Kenyans and private aviation firms such as the HS748 and medium-sized

ing the phased re-opening of the country nearly doubled last year, an indication of turboprop planes.

from a Covid-19 lockdown. growing affluence that has been driving up Wilson Airport insiders have said some

“The said aircraft will be sold by public demand for air travel. of the aircraft have been abandoned by

auction and the proceeds of sale shall be The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) their owners for more than 10 years and

defrayed against any incurred charges and registered 87 new aircraft last year, up from have accumulated charges to the tune of
the balance if any shall remain at the own- 48 in 2018, pushing the number of planes millions of shillings. While some were said

ers’ credit but should there be a shortfall, in the country to 1,548, excluding those to be in serviceable condition, others are

the owner shall be liable thereof,” said KAA owned by the national police service and only worth their scrap metal after years of

acting managing director Alex Gitari in the the Kenya defence forces. inactivity and theft of parts.

latest Kenya gazette notice. The abandoned planes are parked at JKIA, Aviation rules require that planes be

“The aircraft must be removed within 30 Moi International Airport in Mombasa, parked at gazetted points like airports.
days from the date of publication of this Lokichoggio Airport and Wilson Airport. Apart from urban-based business

notice and upon payment of all outstanding JKIA has 17, including a Bombardier leaders, politicians and wealthy deal-mak-

charges and any incidental costs including plane belonging to Jetlink, two Soviet-built ers, Kenyan skies are also dominated by

the cost of publication of this notice.” passenger planes owned by Somali air force large-scale farmers and ranchers based in
The KAA reckons that the firms and and two old Boeing plane registered under Nanyuki, Kitale, Laikipia and Narok.

individuals owe it millions of shillings from Jubba Airways. Aero Club of East Africa – a lobby group

accumulated parking and landing fees ar- Wilson Airport hosts more than half or 64 of private aircraft owners – attributed the

rears, setting the stage for Kenya’s biggest of the targeted planes, with five linked to growth in the number of registered planes

auction of aircraft. the Kenya police air wing, Fly540, Skylink, to Nairobi’s rising status as the region’s

Large aircraft pay (US) $25 or (Sh2, 707) Silverstone and Moi University. business hub and a growing number of
daily to park at Jomo Kenyatta international Others belong to individuals and inves- wealthy individuals with the means to own

airport and (US) $585 or (Sh63, 355) and tors operating small chartered short flights and maintain an aircraft.

(US) $702 or (Sh76, 000) to land during the targeting the rich. Besides convenience, wealthy individ-

day and night respectively. Wilson Airport in Nairobi handles about uals have also acquired aircraft to satisfy

Small planes are charged (US) $15 or 90 per cent of domestic flights that mainly their ambitions for reliable and person-

(Sh1, 625) daily parking fees and (US) $223 comprise chartered and commercial flights alised travel.

or (Sh24, 150) and (US) $268 or (Sh29, to holiday destinations such as Masai Mara Air operators say that the biggest head-

000) for landing during the day and night Game Reserve, Mombasa, Amboseli Nation- ache in owning an aircraft lies in operation-

respectively. al Park, Lamu, Kilimanjaro, Diani, Lokichogio al and maintenance costs, including high
Kenya’s business magnates, politicians and Nanyuki. It is currently ranked among jet fuel prices, airport landing fees, parking

and new millionaires are fast taking to the the busiest airports in terms of aircraft fees, insurance and spare parts. Q
skies as the preferred mode of transport movement in East and Central Africa.
- expanding the market for leasing and 748 Air Services, a commercial carrier, Article courtesy: https://www.

private ownership of planes. has abandoned eight aircraft at Lokichog- businessdailyafrica.com/index.html
World Airnews | September 2020
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