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Hopes dashed as KQ cancels SOS flight from London

By Amina Wako April 25th, 2020 1 min read

Kenya Airways has cancelled a London-Nairobi flight that was meant to bring Kenyans home.

According to Kenyan High Commission in the United Kingdom, the national flag carrier cancelled the flight citing the strict rules on coronavirus in Kenya, which require that all arriving passengers must be Covid-19 free.

“Covid-19 tests in the UK are administered only to those who are sick and are admitted to the hospital. Passengers are, therefore, unable to take tests to prove that they do not have coronavirus. We continue to work to find a way that passengers can be tested before travel,” the Kenyan Embassy wrote.

KQ had requested all those interested in flying out of London into Kenya to take the Covid-19 test and present a copy of their medical results at the check-in counter.

Those flying from Kenya were required to undergo a mandatory Covid-19 test at Lancet Kenya within 72 hours of flight.

The Embassy asked Kenyans in the diaspora to remain where they are until the lockdown is lifted and air travel is allowed.

“We must emphasize that we have authority from cooperating governments to facilitate flights for only stranded passengers. We encourage other Kenyans in the diaspora to remain where they are until such a time when the lockdown is lifted, and air travel and air space is open,” the embassy added.

The flight was only open to Kenya citizens flying back home, and all passengers were to undergo a mandatory quarantine of 14-28 days at their own cost as per the government of Kenya guidelines.

However, KQ flew some 100 Britons from Kenya back to London on Thursday.