Kenya Airways Postpones Brazzaville Route Launch

By Eddyson Lugangwa Posted 05 October 2006 @ 03:49 pm EET     Print     Reprint     E-Mail     Comments

Nairobi (IBTimes.com) - Kenya Airways will not launch scheduled flights to Congo Brazzaville tomorrow as earlier announced.Unresolved issues in negotiations on air traffic rights forced the last-minute cancellation.

The national flag-carrier's Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications, Mr Michael Okwiri on Wednesday said the aeronautical authorities of Kenya and the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) had been unable to hammer out a Bilateral Air Service Agreement. This is a treaty that allows reciprocating air traffic rights between two countries.

"Intergovernmental meetings are planned for later this month, which will hopefully enable Kenya Airways to run the service," he said in a statement.The airline, Okwiri said, would then have the option of later extending the Brazzaville service to Cotonou in Benin.

Earlier this year, the airline was forced to suspend the planned launch of scheduled flights to Asmara following currency restrictions imposed by the government of Eritrea.