Economy

US direct flights nod a vote of confidence, says State House

jkia

The JKIA. State House has termed the move to allow Kenyan carriers to fly directly to the US as a national approval beyond just JKIA. FILE PHOTO | SALATON NJAU

Kenya has termed the recent granting of category 1 status to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi by US authorities as a vote of confidence in the country’s security.

State House spokesperson Manoah Esipisu said yesterday that the move to allow Kenyan carriers to fly directly to the US was a national approval beyond just JKIA.

“An important clarification to make is that this Category 1 status does not just cover Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. It covers Kenya. Kenyan carriers will now be required to secure the necessary approvals from the State Department of Transport to begin plying the relevant routes,” Mr Esipisu said in his weekly address.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted Kenya Category 1 Status paving the way for Kenyan registered air operators to operate routes directly to the United States.

The move has since been lauded by various government agencies including the Kenya Vision 2030 secretariat, which termed it ‘a major success for Kenya.’

Vision 2030 director-general Dr Julius Muia said the move confirmed the country’s compliance with international air safety standards as well as beinga diplomatic boost.

“This achievement is an important milestone for Kenya-U.S bilateral relations. Both countries have maintained numerous and diverse areas of partnerships and co-operation in security, exports and imports as well as tourism. We expect more direct investments from the US government, companies and most importantly, Kenyans in the diaspora,” he said.

According to Mr Muia, the US has strengthened its position as Kenya’s third-largest export destination making it Nairobi’s most valuable economic partner outside East Africa.

The US has recently emerged as the top source market for Kenya after overtaking tourist arrivals from the United Kingdom in the first 10 months of 2016.

According to data released by the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB), 82,363 American visitors toured the country between January and October 2016, surpassing 80,821 tourist arrivals from Britain.