The Boeing 737 Max 8 plane has been allowed back into the Kenyan airspace after receiving clearance to restart operations.
Speaking to kenyans.co.ke, Kenya’s Civil Aviation Authority(KCAA) said that it has authorized the Boeing 737 Max 8 following its clearance by Boeing company.
“The airlines are free to fly Boeing 737 Max to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, there are no restrictions that we are going to impose,” said KCAA Director General Gilbert Kibe.
The plane has been grounded for nearly 2 years following consistent crashes such as the early 2019 Ethiopian Airline crash while flying to Nairobi, just months after another one of the similar type plunged into the sea in Indonesia.
Ethiopian Airline announced that it might resume flights on this particular model by July this year. Boeing is said to have resolved the defaults that led to accidents caused by this plane model.
Speaking during a conference last week, the Chief Executive Officer of Ethiopian Airlines, Tewolde GebreMariam said that an analysis was done on the Boeing plane and a decision to continue its operations was made.
“We have made a thorough analysis, technically, operationally, and commercially, and we decided to continue with the airplane,” Mr Tewolde said.
Several other countries also lifted the ban on Boeing 737 Max 8 and allowed it into their skies including the United Arab Emirates, Canada and the United Kingdom.
Recently, KCAA approved Boeing 787 to be converted into a cargo carrier, after the US–based Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) gave Kenya Airways the green light to do the same.
This approval would enable KQ to increase its carrying capacity by over 100 tonnes.
The airline said that the move would help it to use Boeing 787 for long haul cargo services between Kenya and other countries. Currently, the airline relies on two short-haul aircraft for cargo transportation. This move will boost exportation, especially in the horticulture industry.
