The changing fortunes of Moi International Airport

Tourists disembark from a FlyDubai aircraft that landed at the Moi International Airport in Mombasa from Dubai. [File, Standard] 

Some ten years ago, Moi International Airport in Mombasa was a sleepy hub that saw little cargo business.

But the airport’s fortunes are now changing for the better with more investors eyeing the hub. Kenya Airports Authority Manager Abel Gogo said in an interview with Shipping and Logistics that in the last one year, the airport has seen a sharp increase in the amount of cargo passing through it.

“Last year, the airport handled more than 100,000 tons of metric cargo which proves that there are many traders eying the airport for their export,”said Gogo.
He said despite few airlines landing at the airport, the demand for export through air has gone up.

“Following this demand, GM Kenya is constructing a cargo handling facility at the airport to rival Kenya Airways which dominated the business for many years,”said Gogo

He said the demand for a cargo handling facility has gone up because the airport is handling more seafood, meat and horticulture from local traders.

Gogo said the volume of export has also gone up because ‘loose’ cargo such as electronics from Mombasa port were being exported through Moi Airport.

He explained that in most circumstances, traders import bulky goods through Mombasa port and after the goods have docked, they are stripped and exported to countries like DR Congo, Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan Sudan.

Gogo said even the demand for facilities such as classic lounge catering have gone up because the number of tourists either on transit or on land is high.

He admitted that some of the catering at the airport could not meet the high standard required by high class travellers and that is why KAA partnered with Bosphorus Company to establish lounge catering to serve domestic and international lounges.

“The new lounge inside the airport will now serve both high class travellers and others on transit,”said Gogo

“Moi International Airport serves as a key gateway to Kenya; both for tourists and traders and connects Kenya with the rest of the world, “said Gogo

At the same time, Changamwe MP Omar Mwinyi asked the government to open the sky and stop restricting big airlines.

He asked the Ministry of Transport to license all airlines to fly to any airport of their choice as this will enable  tourists go for the airline of their choice.

“Opening the sky will enable airlines bring more tourists to the coast. The present policy of allowing airlines to only land at JKIA is not good for other regions,” said Mwinyi

Mwinyi said this as it emerged that last year, out of 2.1 million tourists who came to Kenya, only 450,000 tourists visited the coast. Mwinyi said Kenya is facing stiff competition from other countries and time has come when policies which hinder growth in business are thrown out.

He said infrastructure constraints, increasing passengers and cargo traffic are making Moi International Airport inefficient.

He said the runway capacity and outdated terminals as well as inadequate ground landing facilities hinder efficient operation of airports.

He said for many years, tourists on transit to other parts of the world had nowhere to have a rest, shower and change their clothes but with the Bosphorus Loungeit will be possible for them to refresh.

Mwinyi concurred with those in the tourism sector led by Kenya Coast Tourism Association chairman Victor Shitakha that the government should open the sky so that airlines can fly to any airport of their choice.

Shitakha explained that the airport is important in the tourism sector as it serves as a key gateway to tourists and business travellers .

There is high demand for more airlines to serve businessmen who export their products heading to either Europe, Middle East, Asia,East Europe or Russia.

“We want the government to open the sky for any airline to fly into any airport of their choice in the country as this will facilitate more trade between Kenyans and other countries in the world,” said Shitakha.

Among the airlines which have expressed interest in flying into Mombasa include Turkish Airline and Qatar Airline following high demand from businessmen and tourists who want to fly directly to Mombasa.
Turkiye ambassador to Kenya Subutay Yuksel said Turkish Airline was waiting for a license to start flying to Moi International Airport.