Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA)’s takeover bid has since its inception taken several twists and turns, with prominent leaders raising alarm over the plan citing malicious intent behind it.
Even as the MPs are yet to approve the takeover proposal, it has emerged that one of the things the takeover seeks to achieve is the construction of private jets and VIP terminals.
According to a document seen by Nation, Kenya Airways plans to invest in the project as a way of satisfying the market needs and enlarge the functionalities at JKIA.
In the proposal presented to parliament pending their approval by the airline, KQ also highlighted their plan to spend at least Ksh2.5 billion to address technical defects and improve the airport.
The document read in part: “This will lead to an increase in passengers satisfaction while transiting in order to enhance the revenues and overall passenger experience.
“We estimate that a minimum budget of between Ksh2 billion and Ksh2.5 billion is needed to rehabilitate the infrastructure such as mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering systems,” the document also noted.
In their proposal, KQ further noted that it will see the improvements of short-term issues on the airport’s infrastructure including the processor numbers (security scanners and check-in counters) and minor investments in the runway, such as rapid exits and extension of the existing taxiway.
KQ also exclaimed: “The latter would result in an increase of capacity in terms of aircraft movements by roughly 60 percent. In order to handle the increased aircraft movements, aircraft parking capacity, which will eventually become a bottleneck, would be improved alongside with operational improvement actions such as scheduling optimization/regulation (slot coordination or schedule coordination).”
Additionally, Kenya Airways also stated that it would enable JKIA to have a visibility over revenues generated by duty-free shops at the airport in order to maximize non-aeronautical revenues in that field. The same applies to parking services provider at the airport.
The top management of the airline are expected for a second time to appear before Parliament’s Transport, Public Works and Housing committee over the takeover plan.