Isiolo International Airport commissioned in July 2017, has failed to live up to its expectations despite its construction costing north of Ksh3.1 billion.
The international airport was projected to serve a number of local and international airlines and air operators.
A new terminal building with a capacity of hosting 125,000 passengers a year was built to attract more tourists and local residents.
It was also meant to benefit farmers in Isiolo, Meru and Laikipia exporting their agricultural products to target markets.
Government spokesperson Cyrus Oguna while inspecting the progress of the project, noted that the airport was also meant to avert accidents caused by speedy vehicles especially those ferrying miraa to Wilson Airport.
Isiolo International Airport has, however, encountered hitches that have slowed down its growth projection.
One of these was a ban on miraa exports imposed by the Somali government, in 2020, after a political fallout with Kenya. The embargo led to a loss of more than 50 tonnes of Kenya khat worth Ksh20 million a day.
Travel restrictions also affected the flow of traffic at Isiolo International Airport. At the height of the pandemic, most foreign countries banned international flights which took a toll on the airport.
Escalating tensions between foreign countries including Ukraine and Russia and the global recession also hampered activities at the airport.
Features of the Airport
Isiolo International Airport was developed by the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) as part of the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia-Transport (LAPSSET) corridor development project, as well as Kenya’s Vision 2030 programme.
Surfaced with asphalt, the runway can handle Code C aircraft including Boeing 747 to 787 Dreamliner variants and Airbus A300 to A380.
Its terminal has the capacity to handle approximately 700 passengers an hour.
Inside are nine check-in counters available for both domestic and international flights. The terminal building also features a VIP lounge, shops, banking and ATM facilities, foreign exchange bureaus, and airline front offices.
Its parking can accommodate more than 200 vehicles.
The airport is 283km away from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, the country’s largest civilian airport.
