United States airport authorities will next month carry out a security audit on Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in a scrutiny that will have a bearing on nonstop flights plan between Nairobi and New York.
If cleared, JKIA will be granted the Last Point of Departure (LDP) status, paving way for direct flights to the US.
Official from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will conduct the audit between May 21st and 25th to ascertain whether Kenya has addressed the issues it raised last year in regard to security.
“We expect the inspectors from America on May 21, 2018 to asses us. We are ready to receive them since we are ready to commence direct flights to John F Kennedy International Airport in New York on October 28, 2018,” KAA Managing Director Jonny Andersen told the committee on Equal Opportunity chaired by nominated MP Maina Kamanda on Tuesday.
“We are now ready for the audit as we have addressed all the areas that required correction,” he said while exuding confidence that the country will be cleared.
Erecting of a proper perimeter fence, installation of reliable power and water and consistence at the security screening yard are some of the areas TSA asked Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) to improve on ahead of the final audit.
The LPD status will clear the way for national carrier, Kenya Airways and any other airline approved by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fly directly to NY from Nairobi.
Last year JKIA earned a Category One status after several audit processes by the US air agency- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Kenya Airways said a maiden direct flight to the US will leave Nairobi in October in a move expected to reduce flight time between New York and the Kenyan capital by more than seven hours.
