Brazil says Kenya yet to sign direct flights deal

A KQ aircraft at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The company’s financial standing was affected by the flights ban. PHOTO | FILE 

By GERALD ANDAE

In Summary

• The agreement on direct flights was reached five years ago, but the process had stalled as Kenya was yet to sign the 2010 memorandum of understanding.

Brazil is ready to allow Kenya Airways to start direct flights to the South American country but the process has been delayed by Kenya’s failure to ratify the 2010 agreement reached between the two states.

Brazilian ambassador to Kenya Marcela Nicodemos said on Wednesday the agreement on direct flights was reached five years ago, but the process had stalled as Kenya was yet to sign the 2010 memorandum of understanding.

Ms Nicodemos said approval of the national carrier’s direct flights to Brazil would strengthen the economic ties between the two countries, especially the ailing tourism sector.

“We have been ready since 2010 and we are still waiting for the Kenyan government to ratify the 2010 agreement that Brazil has so far endorsed,” said Ms Nicodemos.

The envoy said that she was not certain if Kenya’s enthusiasm for non-stop flights still exists given that the MoU had taken so long to be ratified.

Both the Foreign Affairs secretary and her principal secretary did not respond to queries on the matter by the time we went to press.

Regionally, it is only Ethiopian and South African airlines that fly to Brazi; with stopovers in their respective capital cities as well as Rome and Sao Paulo before landing in Rio De Janeiro.

READ: Kenya fails April audit on direct flights to the United States

Ms Nicodemos urged the government to move with speed to tap the existing opportunities given the fact that KQ has acquired new aircraft.

The airline has been on an expansion path with the acquisition of new Dreamliners to replace its ageing fleet of B-767s for long-haul routes, offering 20 per cent more fuel efficiency.

She noted that Brazilian airlines were not in a position to fly directly to Kenya. Brazilian airline Varig stopped direct flights to Kenya in 2005 when it collapsed over financial difficulties, a move that saw the firm file for bankruptcy in the same year.

The airline has since been revived but is currently operating in South American cities.

Kenya has been working on plans to establish direct flights to the US this year , but the bid has suffered several setbacks after American authorities said they were not satisfied with the conditions at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi.

The Federal Aviation Authority will conduct another audit on JKIA in October after its last review in April fell below the US regulator’s minimum threshold.