National carrier, Kenya Airways (KQ), is set to resume direct flights to Mogadishu from Nairobi starting February 14, 2024.
The resumption follows the temporary suspension in August 2020 to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.
The phased flight resumption will resume with three weekly flights in the month of February 2024.
Speaking ahead of the resumption, Kenya Airways chief commercial and customer officer Julius Thairu said the move aligns with the increasing business and the growing number of air travel between Kenya and Somalia.
“We are eager about the potential of re-establishing the link between Mogadishu and Nairobi through KQ. Kenya Airways is committed to providing high-quality service for our customers, as we work together to foster trade and investment for sustained growth."
The resumption of Mogadishu flights is part of Kenya Airways network expansion strategy and commitment aimed at enhancing connectivity across the African continent to contribute to long-term economic progress.
The announcement comes three months after Kenya and Somalia signed a bilateral air services agreement handing a major boost to Kenya Airways that has been raring to launch flights to the country.
Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the deal now 'opens' the airspaces of the two countries for direct flights.
Kenya is a signatory to several air services agreements that facilitates how it designates airlines coming to the country.
The agreement states that on the frequency and capacity, the designated airlines of each party may operate seven weekly frequencies for passenger flights on specified routes while designated airlines operating cargo flights may operate unlimited frequencies.
Kenya's main exports to Somalia include miraa.
KQ's approval to fly to Mogadishu has been pending for years now.
Somalia initially protested over Nairobi’s strict aviation rules that required stopovers in Wajir, in Northeastern Kenya, for security checks.
The carrier suspended its plans to launch the flights to Hargeisa in Somaliland in May 2021 over what it termed as a lack of requisite "clearance and approvals".
"We currently do not have any flights in operation, contrary to information circulating on social media," Kenya Airways said in a statement.
