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The Kenyan Government has released COVID-19 guidelines for passengers travelling into the country as international flights resume on 1st August 2020.

The guidelines have been released by the government through the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing, Urban Development and Public Works to ensure the safety of travellers into the country.

President Uhuru Kenyatta announced that the country would allow international flights from 1st August after they were stopped in response to the COVID-19 crisis. He also approved the resumption of local flights from 15th July and various operators such as Kenya Airways and Jambojet have also already been running flights to select locations.

The ministry has come up with Air Travel Operations guidelines during the Covid-19 Public Health Crisis in consultation with the Ministry of Health. The guidelines are aimed at ensuring that air travel remains safe during the pandemic for domestic and international flights.

The guidelines are as follows;

  1. All arriving passengers on international flights whose body temperature is NOT above 37.5° C (99.5°F); do NOT have a persistent cough, difficulty in breathing or other flu-like symptoms; have negative PCR based COVID – 19 test carried out within 96 hours before travel and are from countries considered low to medium risk COVID – 19 transmission areas shall be exempt from quarantine.
  2. Passengers travelling out of the country will be required to abide by the particular travel, health and COVID-19 related requirements of the destination country.
  3. Passengers arriving on flights after the curfew, with a valid Air Ticket and Boarding Pass will be allowed to proceed to their hotels and/or residences.
  4. Drivers, including taxis, should have evidence that they have come from the Airport to drop or pick up passengers to be allowed to operate outside of curfew hours.
  5. Passengers departing on flights after the curfew, with a valid Air Ticket and Boarding Pass shall be allowed to proceed to their departure airport.
  6. Air Operators will provide guidance material to passengers regarding application of the preventive measures on board.
  7. Where physical distancing cannot be guaranteed because of the seat configuration or other operational constraints, the crew members will make constant on-board announcements reminding passengers to adhere at all times to all the other preventive measures. These include hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette and should wear a face mask. In addition and in such cases other measures such as cabin recirculation air filters will be put in place.
  8. Working jointly with Airports Authority and Kenya Civil Aviation, the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing, Urban Development and Public Works is reviewing frequency and timing of flights to facilitate physical distancing at the Airports.

Kenya has also released a list of countries where travellers from those countries will not be subjected to mandatory COVID-19 quarantine. Countries on the list include Canada, South Korea, Namibia, Uganda, China and Rwanda. Review of countries from which travelers will not be required to be quarantined upon arrival will be undertaken by Ministry of Health on day to day basis.

Those passengers from countries that are not on the list will be required to quarantine will do so at Government designated facility or at their home.

Airlines that have announced that they will restart international flights to and from Kenya, include Kenya Airways, Jambojet and Emirates.