Get tough with Kenya Airways

Nov 28, 2006

ON Monday Kenya blocked the maiden flight of Victoria International Airlines from Entebbe to Nairobi.

ON Monday Kenya blocked the maiden flight of Victoria International Airlines from Entebbe to Nairobi.

This was a gross breach of the newly revived East African cooperation.

VIA had received all necessary clearances in advance from the Ugandan and Kenyan governments. It is a private airline but with a 25 per cent shareholding from the Uganda government. This is a real slap in the face for Uganda.

The reason is simple. Kenya Airways has been profiteering on the Entebbe-Nairobi route.

The Entebbe-Nairobi route is the second most expensive in the world per air mile.

The only scheduled route that is more expensive per airmile is the short 20 mile hop from Ceuta in Morocco to Malaga in Spain across the Straits of Gibraltar. Kenya Airways charges up to $480 including taxes for the return journey.

You can buy a cheap return ticket from London to New York for that amount.

Travellers between Entebbe and Nairobi are being swindled. Kenya is blocking VIA because it offers cheaper fares than its national carrier.

That’s also why Ethiopian Airlines was refused permission to carry passengers between Entebbe and Nairobi for $200 return earlier this year.

Kenya Airways has also been guilty of monopolistic practices. When Dairo Air tried to fly the Nairobi route, Kenya Airways slashed its prices until it went out of business. Then it doubled its prices up gain. This would result in criminal prosecution in Europe or America.

The extortion of air passengers between Nairobi and Entebbe cannot be allowed to continue. Competition is essential on Entebbe-Nairobi route.

The Civil Aviation Authority now has to get tough with Kenya. Firstly, it should refuse permission for Kenya Airways to land at Entebbe unless VIA is allowed to land in Nairobi.

Secondly, the CAA should insist that Kenya Airways maintains for at least two years any fare reduction that it undertakes to match the VIA prices.

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