Kenya Airways Resumes Flights To Kinshasa After Congo Military Releases Its Detained Staff

• Kenya Airways staff who were arrested by the Congolese military in April have been released
• The national carrier announced a resumption of its flight operations in Kinshasa following the unconditional release
• KQ reiterated that the two staff remain innocent and the airline will continue to support them

TUKO.co.ke journalist Wycliffe Musalia brings over five years of experience in financial, business, and technology reporting, offering deep insights into Kenyan and global economic trends.

Kenya Airways has announced the resumption of its flight operations in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

This followed a move by the Congolese military to unconditionally release the two KQ staff arrested on April 19, 2024.

In a press statement released on Monday, May 6, KQ chief executive officer (CEO) Allan Kilavuka confirmed the release, vouching for their innocence.

"We want to reiterate that our employees are innocent and were only carrying out their duties in strict adherence to the laid out procedures. We stand by their innocence and will continue to support them," said Kilavuka.

When will KQ flights to Kinshasa resume?

The airline explained that the release of their two staff provides the necessary support required to resume flights to Kinshasa.

Kilavuka notified customers and affected passengers that KQ will be flying to and from Kinshasa starting Wednesday, May 8, 2024.

"With the necessary ground support in place, we are pleased to announce that Kenya Airways will resume flights to Kinshasa on May 8, 2024. We look forward to serving our valued customers once again," he said.

Kilavuka thanked the Kenyan government and KQ staff, who worked tirelessly to ensure the release of their colleagues.

He assured the airline's compliance with investigative agencies and relevant government entities in the DRC and Kenya.

How KQ flight suspension affected DRC

The airline suspended its flights to Kinshasa on April 30, 2024, resulting in the Congolese air transport crisis.

Speaking to TUKO.co.ke, KQ confirmed that it flies daily to Kinshasa and the withdrawal of the flight operations could impact most of its passengers.

"We fly daily to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The suspension of the flight caused inconveniences on the route, but we apologise to our customers," said a source privy to the matter.

KQ's exit from the Congo route resulted in a shortage of air seats, plunging the airport in the country into a crisis.

The number of weekly passenger seats dropped by 1,813. This means daily 259 airseats provided by Kenya Airways were cut from the airspace, leading the passengers to scramble amid the reduced supply.

What to know about KQ and Kinshasa stalemate

• Two Kenya Airways (KQ) staff were arrested on Friday, April 19, by the military in Kinshasa over allegations of missing documentation on a valuable cargo.
• KQ expressed concern over the prolonged detention of its staff, urging for humane treatment and respectful handling during what it described as "unlawful detention".

Proofreading by Otukho Jackson, a multimedia journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke