Kenya’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) has been granted Category 1 status by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), paving the way for airlines to operate direct flights between JKIA and airports in the US.

This followed meticulous assessment by the FAA and other US agencies.

“Getting Category 1 status is, for us, a major milestone in the growth and development of civil aviation in Kenya, East Africa and the rest of Africa,” says Kenyan Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia.

Kenya joins South Africa, Nigeria, Cabo Verde and Ethiopia as the only African countries from where airlines are allowed to operate direct flights to the US.

JKIA’s previous Category 2 status meant that passengers flying to the US had to transit through Europe, the Middle East or any of the four African countries with Category 1 status.

Over the past decade, Kenya has invested over $500-million to upgrade and expand facilities at the airport, including the construction of new terminals and the installation of ultramodern security equipment.

To attain and maintain Category 1 status, a country must demonstrate compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s safety standards pertaining to aircraft operations and maintenance.

Kenya has implemented a raft of recommendations by the US government to enhance security, including the separation of arrivals and departures terminals, clearing the flight path and fencing off the airport.

The new status is a major achievement for Kenya, which is determined not only to make JKIA a regional aviation hub but also boost trade with the US and increase the number of US tourists visiting the country.

“With Category 1 status, there will be faster movement of people and goods, especially horticultural produce from Kenya,” says Macharia.

US Department of Trade data indicates that trade between Kenya and the US has been on the rise, with the US exporting goods worth $919-million to Kenya and importing goods worth $550-million in 2015.

The number of tourists from the US to Kenya has also increased, surpassing the number of tourists from the UK, Kenya’s traditional source market, in 2016. According to the Kenya Tourism Board, 82 363 American tourists visited the East African country between January and October 2016, compared with 80 821 tourists from Britain.

The US’s Delta Airlines is among the carriers that previously expressed interest in operating direct flights between Kenya and the US.

Kenya’s national carrier, Kenya Airways, which has been struggling to remain afloat, is also expected to exploit the new opportunity.