The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has started a project to renovate and upgrade Terminals 1B and 1C of Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA). The airport is Kenya’s largest aviation facility, the aviation gateway to the country and the busiest airport in East Africa.

The project will run for 12 months and cost 963-million Kenya shillings (about $8.79-million or R136-million). It will be focused on the departure halls and will improve the check-in, security and retail operations, as well as the passenger lounges. The upgrades will also improve passenger flow through the terminals.

“The refurbishment and facelift of the [Terminal 1B and Terminal 1C] aims to align the passenger experience in these terminals to match what is offered at [Terminal 1A],” explained KAA MD and CEO Alex Gitari. “The remodelling project is an integral part of the ongoing JKIA Customer Service Improvement Plan which was formulated from feedback from our shareholders and customers.” 

During the upgrade process, airlines operating from Terminals 1B and 1C will be temporarily relocated to Terminals 1A and 2. As a consequence, passengers are being urged to arrive at the airport no less than four hours before their flight departure times.

The KAA is an autonomous body, set up in 1991 to establish and manage a coordinated airports system in the country. It is also Africa’s largest air freight service provider.

The KAA manages six airports. Four of these are international – in addition to JKIA, they are Moi International at Mombasa, Kisumu International (at the city of the same name, on the shore of Lake Victoria) and Eldoret International (again at the town of that name, and also in western Kenya). The other two airports are mainly for domestic operations: Malindi (at Malindi town on the Indian Ocean coast, north of Mombasa) and Wilson (also at Nairobi and one of the busiest airports in terms of aircraft movements in East and Central Africa; about 10% of flights into and out of Wilson are international).