Isiolo airport on track to start operations

The Isiolo International Airport will start operating in two weeks, Transport Principal Secretary Paul Maringa has announced.

Completion of work on the 1.4km runway is underway and is expected to be completed in seven days.

In a final inspection tour on Wednesday, the PS who was accompanied by the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) managing director and CEO Johny Andersen together with Isiolo County Commissioner George Natembeya gave a nod to the facility to begin operating, but only for domestic flights.

According to the PS, the Sh2.7billion facility is expected to handle 350,000 passengers annually.

The airport was scheduled to for commissioning early this year but could not be undertaken due to runway pavements which were being worked on owing to poor drainage.

“A lot of investments have been put in place for the construction of the airport and it has reached a level where we feel we are ready to start operations,” said the Transport PS.

The officials were impressed with the modern state of the art terminal building, access roads, administration block, runway and aircraft parking apron saying it had been done according to international standards.

“We are currently doing minor remedial work at the facility especially on the runway to provide effective drainage channels to guarantee that water runoff doesn’t sit back on the runway,” added Prof Maringa.

Four potential airlines including Jambo Jet, Kenya Airways, Air Kenya and Fly 540 are expected to begin operations.

The PS said the facility will start operations in the next two weeks and afterwards a ceremony will be held where President Uhuru Kenyatta will attend.

Already Fly 540 has booked a ticket office at the facility.

The airport which sits on a 260 hectare has a 4,500 square meters passenger terminal building is one of the key Vision 2030 flagship projects in Isiolo County.

It is however expected to promote growth and unlock economic potential of the region and neighbouring pastoralist areas.

The KAA managing director said seven counties including Isiolo, Meru, Marsabit among others will reap big from the facility in terms of export of miraa, animal products and tourism.

“We will be able to handle International flights but we expect gradual development of other air carriers, for now the facility will start operation with domestic flights,” said Mr Andersen.

He noted that a return ticket to Nairobi from Isiolo will cost the passenger less than that from Nairobi to Mombasa adding that the cost of a ticket will be defined by the interested airlines.