The Zambian Aviation Authority has suspended all Kenya Airways flights into Zambia after Kenya denied authorization for Zambia Airways to operate flights into Nairobi using its wet-leased B737-700 aircraft.
Despite Zambia Airways’ application for scheduled flights from Lusaka to Nairobi being granted a Foreign Operators Permit by the Kenyan Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), the approval to operate with the wet-leased aircraft was refused.
Efforts to resolve the issue included a follow-up letter from Zambia’s Ministry of Transport to the Kenyan Minister of Transport, which went unanswered. A meeting was also held with the Acting Kenyan High Commissioner to Zambia, who requested all relevant documentation, but no feedback has been received.
As a result of the lack of reciprocity regarding flight operations, the Zambian Aviation Authority has taken this step against Kenya Airways.