Airlines in Kenya are contending with substantial costs from bird strikes, even as millions of shillings are allocated to the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) to mitigate the issue and protect carriers from significant losses.
Over the past five years, these incidents have cost the airline more than $3.5 million, straining its finances as it struggles to stay afloat. Cumulative impact of bird strike to the airline is over Ksh9.7 billion ($74 million), according to KQ.
A recent incident involving Kenya Airways in Kisumu highlights the persistent problem. This year alone, the airline has faced five bird strikes, resulting in millions of dollars in engine repair and replacement costs.
Over the past five years, these incidents have cost the airline more than $3.5 million, straining its finances as it struggles to stay afloat. Cumulative impact of bird strike to the airline is over Ksh9.7 billion ($74 million), according to KQ.
"This year there have been five bird strikes running into millions of dollars in cost," said Kenya Airways chief executive officer Allan Kilavuka, in an interview with Business Day Africa.
Bird strikes can cause extensive damage, ranging from engine failure to damage to the windshield, wings, and landing gear.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), responsible for airline safety, has previously reported unsuccessful attempts to persuade KAA to install bird-scaring devices along flight paths.
Increasingly, bird strikes are cited as the cause of emergency landings at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi and Moi International Airport in Mombasa. The agency lacks specialised equipment to effectively deter birds, resulting in serious damage to aircraft.
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While no technology can completely prevent bird strikes, airports can employ scaring techniques. These include pyrotechnic sound makers, ultrasonic wave generators, cannons, trained animals, and chemical repellents.
In the latest incident, a Kenya Airways flight to Kisumu was struck by a bird last week during its approach to the airport leading to massive cancellation of flights to and out of the Lakeside city.
Bird strikes have become a significant issue for aircraft operating in Kenya, with airlines reporting incidents every year, putting passenger safety at risk and causing substantial financial losses.
Airline operators note that bird strikes lead to unforeseen expenses, such as renting additional capacity to transport stranded passengers, particularly for carriers with limited aircraft.
