MPs endorse motion to bring down cost of air fares
What you need to know:
- Members noted that air travel was no longer a luxury.
- National carrier Kenya Airways was criticised during the debate.
The National Assembly has endorsed a motion seeking to liberalise air travel and bring down the cost of air transport.
This is part of a push to have more operators licensed with arguments that a number of airlines have applied for permits to operate domestic flights but are yet to get approvals.
Members noted that air travel was no longer a luxury. They said urgent intervention was needed to bring down the cost and proposed the formation of a body to regulate the industry.
National carrier Kenya Airways was criticised during the debate with MPs saying its monopoly had played a big role in the price of air fare.
Changamwe MP Omar Mwinyi, who sponsored the motion, said air transport in southern and eastern Africa was growing with three major carriers including Kenya Airways, dominating international and domestic flights.
He said global traffic in the region had grown at an annual average rate of 6.2 per cent between 2001 and 2007.
Kenya Airways is among 10 airlines operating the domestic circuit. Currently, it provides 70 per cent international traffic through Nairobi compared to South African Airways and Ethiopian at 33 per cent and 83 per cent respectively in their hubs.
INCREASED TREMENDOUSLY
MPs argued that demand for air travel had increased tremendously and that Kenya Airways enjoyed monopoly, thus determining the rate of fares at will due.
Mr Mwinyi said despite Kenyans injecting a lot of capital into the national carrier, flying still remained out of reach for the ordinary mwananchi.
“Indeed, the paradox of owning one of the top airlines in Africa with a global reputation, while domestic air transport remains inaccessible to the majority of our citizens, who have to endure long journeys and lost man hours on our treacherous roads, is a shame for our country,” he said.
His motion urged the National Assembly to resolve that the government puts in place measures to fully liberalise air fares including awarding licences to other operators for fair competition and to make air travel affordable.
