Kenya has finally met the threshold for a Category One Status which is required for direct flights to the United States, bringing the country closer to implementation of the anticipated service.
A team of the US Federal Aviation Administration inspectors who were in the country last week cleared Kenya for the final audit, after being satisfied with measures put in place by the government.
Kenya had been tasked to come up with a new Civil Aviation Law - which was achieved when President Uhuru Kenyatta signed into law the Civil Aviation (Amendment) Bill 2016 last Wednesday. The country has also set up a civil aviation tribunal which as per requirements.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority has also addressed three of the eight critical elements of safety oversight system which were pending as defined by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.
“We have successfully satisfied FAA. We have achieved all they wanted us to do, so we are waiting for the final audit,” KCAA director general Gilbert Kibe told the Star. “We are very pleased with the passing of the Civil Aviation Bill”.
He said the country has proposed a date mid next month for the final audit, as it seeks to be cleared before the US presidential elections in November.
“We have given them two possible dates in mid October. We want it completed so that JKIA is upgraded to category one within this year,” Kibe said.
If FAA agrees for a mid October date, Kenya will know its fate on direct flights by December, considering that the audit results take up to 60 days for issuance.
Kenya has implemented other recommendations by the US to enhance security, among them separation of passenger arrival and departure terminals, clearing the flight path and fencing off the airport.
Kenya Airports Authority has spent nearly Sh9 billion to build Terminal 1 (previously Terminal 4) and fabricated Terminal 2.
The government has also invested Sh1.3 billion in new security equipment.
The country has to score 80 per cent in the IASA audit to qualify which now stands achievable after scoring 88 per cent in a security audit by ICAO, conducted between September 17 and 24, 2014.
“We are ready for them (FAA). We believe we will make it,” Kibe told the Star.
The IASA program focuses on a country's ability, not the ability of individual air carriers, to adhere to international aviation safety standards and recommended practices.
(+) IASA assessment determines compliance with the international standards by focusing on each critical element of an effective aviation safety oversight authority specified in ICAO Document 9734, Safety Oversight Manual. The elements include Primary aviation legislation,Specific operating regulations, State civil aviation system and safety oversight functions, Technical personnel qualification and training, Technical guidance, tools and the provision of safety critical information, Licensing, certification, authorization, and approval obligations, Surveillance obligations; and finally Resolution of safety concerns.The IASA program is administered by the FAA Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety (AVS), Flight Standards Service (AFS), International Programs and Policy Division (AFS-50). Direct flights will boost trade between the two countries giving Kenya an advantage to increase its exports to the US under the AGOA. The country’s tourism sector will also reap big from the US which is the second leading market source for Kenya after UK.