Has JKIA been sold? #OccupyJKIA

The Jomo Kenyatta International airport (JKIA) is the 2nd fastest growing airport in the word cargo ranking according to the latest World Airport Traffic Report.

The report by the Airports Council International (ACI), which highlights top airports for passengers, cargo and aircraft movements and showcases the world’s fastest-growing airports for 2018, JKIA was ranked 2nd in the ‘Fastest Growing Airports (Handing over 250,000 metric tons of air cargo)’ category, after handling over 342,000 metric tons of air cargo in 2018, a 25% growth from the year 2017.

JKIA ranked second globally and the first in Africa in the 2019 World Airport Traffic Report, after the Rockford Airport, an expansive air cargo hub in the United States.

According to the Kenya Airports Authority, the growth in JKIA’s cargo transport is attributed in the growing air cargo traffic to traffic to and from Europe, Asia, America, China and Australia.

“JKIA has recently witnessed a significant boost in air cargo traffic to and from Europe, Asia, America, and most recently China and Australia.  This is what has culminated in JKIA being an emerging force and destination in the air cargo industry. Through deliberate planning and embracing public and private sector participation, the airport has registered a steady transformation in the way air cargo is managed,” KAA said.

KAA said its improving facilities at JKIA at the cargo area to make the airport the premier cargo distribution center for online commerce companies in the region.

“This award validates our ongoing efforts in improving facilities at the JKIA Cargo area. I would like to congratulate all our stakeholders for their collective and ongoing efforts in making this possible. “This is an exciting time for Kenya, the face of cargo is changing, and we are positioning JKIA as the premier cargo distribution center for online commerce companies in the region,” said KAA MD, Jonny Andersen.

Category 1 Status

In 2017 the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) upgraded Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to the much-coveted Category 1 status, enabling Kenya Airways to direct flights to the United States.

Transport Minister James Macharia at the time said that “getting the Category One status was a major milestone in the growth and development of civil aviation in Kenya, East Africa and rest of Africa”.

Kenya has invested in the expansion of airport infrastructure in particular at JKIA.

KENYA TO HAVE DIRECT FLIGHTS TO US AS JKIA ATTAINS CATEGORY ONE STATUS