Transit Passengers via JKIA Hit 800,000 in Two Months

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) has continued to cement its place as Africa’s top transit hub.

The number of passengers passing through the Nairobi airport increased tremendously in the month of May and June, standing at slightly above 800,000 travelers.

A total of 505,454 passengers landed at JKIA for connecting flights, 240,399 in May and 265,055 in June. The number of passengers who embarked stood at 141,068 in May and increased to 152,090 the following month. This means that at least 13,000 passengers passed through the facility every day.

Economists have been urging government to grant transit passengers’ free visas to allow them visit Nairobi hotels, shops, museums and the Nairobi National Park but state agencies have been reluctant to adopt the suggestion citing security fears.

With the expected launch of daily nonstop flights to United States from Nairobi’s JKIA on October 28th by national carrier Kenya Airways, the airport anticipates a sharp increase in transit passengers as well as tourists. JKIA was ranked the best airport in Africa in results released in July.

Kenya Airways will operate a 234-passenger Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner flight daily to New York, the journey taking 15 hours. 30 passengers will occupy the business class while 204 will fly in the economy class.

The flight will leave daily from JKIA at 11:25pm with a return flight departing JFK International Airport in New York at 12:25pm the following day.