In the past 20 years, travel in Kenya has not doubled but quadrupled ten times over and the leisure as well as business traveler is always looking for a better deal but most of all efficiency and safety.
You will note that Kenya’s sky as well as other countries in Africa will have the odd Orange dot flying across the cloudless blue skies – the new planes owned and managed by Fly540.com.
Fly540 has turned the page on low cost flying where in Europe as well as north America, the frequent flyer may be tempted to pay the odd extra dollar for efficiency, main commuter airports closer to get to, better take off times but most of all to be associated and aided by kind, professional and courteous staff where some of the world leading low cost airlines are completely lacking and getting worse as they get bigger!
Their Fly540.com staff dressed in bright orange but well toned uniform are professional and ready to help where necessary, at the sales offices, check in desks as well as in the air.
Fly540.com allows a 20kg luggage allowance per passenger unlike some of their competitors that stop at 15kg and make you pay extra for the rest.
From turbo prop airplanes, the company has invested in the latest jet engines for the regular passenger and for business or private traveler, Fly540.com has a fleet of Gulf Stream jets, Learjets, a Falcon and a Challenger.
Being a frequent flyer in East Africa, it is a pleasure to fly with them and I lately noted that they are flying into “The Ridge” situated in Vipingo – an airstrip located in one of the latest unique projects created by a small group of Kenya’s entrepreneurs offering a professional 18 hole Golf course, restaurant as well as the opportunity to purchase and build villas in the middle of a secure sisal estate overlooking the vast beauty of the Indian ocean in the distance.
Fly 540 has taken this route into its timetable and flight plans opening new relaxed travel into the north coast providing super easy access north and south of Kilifi. I am sure we will see more positive news from this airline in the near future –
Nico Pannevis
]]>KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE
GRANTED LICENCE TO FLY
TOURISTS
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has granted the
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) a commercial licence to fly tourists
to Northern Kenya.
The one-year licence restricts flights to areas around Sibiloi
National Park in Turkana, Marsabit National Park and Malka
Mari National Park on the Ethiopia-Kenya border between
Mandera and Moyale.
We are pleased that the non scheduled passenger air service
licence provides us with an opportunity to play a leading role in
opening up parts of the country that are remote yet significant
where other commercial air operators don’t fly. We are excited
at the prospects of enabling tourists and researchers to access
the cradle of mankind around Lake Turkana.
Other air operators are expected to start flights once the KWS
non scheduled passenger air service shows that the business is
viable.
Most of Kenya’s tourism is concentrated in the southern circuit
around Amboseli and the Maasai Mara leaving enormous
potential in Northern and Western regions.
The KWS Airwing, based at Wilson Airport in Nairobi, has been a
huge expense on the Service, especially because the costs of
running 12 aircraft and 14 pilots, which on average costs Sh4.5
million per month.
KCAA is finalising the process of approving a 7-seater
helicopter, 13-seater caravan and 4-seater Cessna aircraft for
the non-scheduled passenger air services.
The commercial service is meant to help KWS Airwing, a critical
ingredient in Kenya's efforts to protect and manage wildlife,
raise revenue to meet part of its costs for conservation work.
It is also meant to open up to tourists least visited national parks
in remote areas of the country as part of the Vision 2030 which
has tourist as one of its core pillars.
KWS has nine other aircraft for anti-poaching and conservation
work permanently stationed in Nakuru, Tsavo, Lamu, Meru,
Marsabit and Aberdare National Parks.
Two of the KWS pilots have Airline Transport Pilot Licenses while
four have the Commercial Pilot Licence. Besides these, KWS has
five reserve pilots, including Mr Joe Obrian, the Swiss
Ambassador to Kenya.
KWS plans to get an aircraft to be stationed in Kitale to cover
conservation efforts in the Western region. All the other
conservation areas have aircrafts.
BACKGROUND
•
of 585,000 km square, the KWS Airwing is permanently on
standby to fly into action anywhere in Kenya, either for
routine monitoring and conservation field trips or security
operations, search and rescue missions well as emergency
evacuations.
With 59 national parks and reserves spread over a country•
budget of about Sh4.5 million a month including fuel and
aircraft maintenance.
The KWS Airwing was launched in 1990 and works on a•
national parks that lies about 560 km from Nairobi, is one
of Kenya's most quiet and remote
the scenic and serene Lake Paradise on top of Mt
Marsabit, elephants, Greater Kudu, mountain lions,
buffalos and other wildlife. The extensive forest supports
animals that would not normally be found in arid northern
Kenya. There are elephants, rhinos, lions, leopards,
cheetahs, buffaloes, wart hogs, Grevy's Zebra, reticulated
giraffes, hyenas and antelopes.
Abundant rare birds are also found within Marsabit
National Park. Many water birds hang out at Lake
Paradise and a variety of raptors can be seen on the
shaggy cliffs and in the treetops. Marsabit National Park
was home to Ahmed, an elephant that was given 24-hour
protection by a presidential order. Ahmed, who boasted
some of the biggest tusks ever recorded, died at age 55.
Marsabit National Park, another of Kenya's remotenational parks. It has•
international significance as the cradle of mankind and
teems with fossils, zebras, gazelles and impala. It is near
Lake Turkana with its world famous population of
crocodiles.
scenic landscapes on the shores of Lake Turkana. The
park was partially established through the initiative of the
National Museums of Kenya to protect unique prehistoric
and archeological sites, some of which are linked to the
origin of man. The fossils include a crocodile
brumpti
Sibiloi National Park which was gazetted in 1973 hasThe park covers 1570 Km2 of wilderness withEuthecodon, giant tortoise Petusios broadleyi, elephantElephas recki
shore, dry semi desert bush and near desert country. The
park is waterless apart from the alkaline waters of the lake.
and the petrified forest. The terrain is lake•
high wildlife concentration. It is located along the Daua River
on the Kenya-Ethiopia border in the extreme north east of
Kenya on the Mandera plateau. It has a hot and dry climate.
The area is largely semi arid bush land and scrubby grassland
with riparian woodland and palms along the Daua River. The
area is also considered a site for plant endemism.
Its main attractions are; Malka Mari fort, hills and valleys.
Unfortunately, it has not been developed.
Malka Mari National Park was gazetted in 1989 because of its•
national parks and reserves across the country in the last
couple of years at a cost of Sh45 million, including those in
remote areas.
KWS has invested heavily in tourism infrastructure in many•
a cost of Sh55 million in Meru (Mulika, Kinna, Masanduku)
and Lake Nakuru (Naishi) national parks. KWS plans to
spend a further Sh1 billion in the next two years on
improving roads, bridges and airstrips in various national
parks and reserves across the country.
Various airstrips have been upgraded to tarmac status at•
a drive to realise Kenya’s target of 5 million tourists per year by
2012. Already, KWS is planning to build airstrips in Ruma
National Park (Homa Bay) and Mt Elgon National Park near
Kitale Town. In the near future, more airstrips will be upgraded,
including one at Voi in Tsavo East National Park, Kamboyo in
Tsavo West National Park and Mweiga in the Aberdare
National Park. Each region has an aircraft for patrols and other
conservation activities.
Opening up of the domestic airspace is one of the key cogs inFor more information on the commercial air
licence, please contact:
Maj (Rtd) Solomon Nyanjui
Head of KWS Airwing (www.kws.org)
Cellphone 0722713944
]]>Now – here I have to take care of what I say as I have quite a few friends who are Captains, pilots and crew members of
Kenya Airways is part of the Skyteam - http://www.skyteam.com and is based in
They mainly fly to cities in Africa, a few to the middle and far east as well as
Once in
For further information on prices, destinations or to book your ticket using Kenya Airways visit their website on http://www.kenya-airways.com
This information has been collected using various websites, search engines and information gathered from other Bushdrummers to help you find flights to
Ethiopian Airlines – The new spirit of
Ethiopian airlines has been active for over 60 years and in the past decade they have been going from strength to strength providing more destinations to fly to in Africa (using Addis Ababa Bole International Airport as the hub – change over) .
Their prices are quite competitive and service is on the increase – they have won several awards over the past years.
Currently they work together with the following airlines providing more destinations for the traveller:
- South African Airways
- Lufthansa
- TAAG-Angola Airlines
- Gulf Air
- Air One – which now owns part of Alitalia
- Brussels Airlines
For further information on prices, destinations or to book your ticket using Ethiopian Airlines visit their website on http://www.ethiopianairlines.com
This information has been collected using various websites, search engines and information gathered from other Bushdrummers to help you find flights to
Travelling to
Part of Skyteam, (http://www.skyteam.com) Alitalia flies on a regular basis to north African countries and at times to
Alitalia has merged together with Air One – (http://www.flyairone.it/ ) which I hope will provide
2008 and the beginning of 2009 has seen Alitalia provide very unprofessional service by crew and ground staff with countless delays, strikes and cancellations and unfortunately to date their telephone sales team for general enquires as well as those who are part of their Club Millemiglia still remain perhaps the worst I have personally come across and used in the travel industry.
When calling their telephone sales team for information and general questions expect to be cut off half way during a conversation as the telephone staff prefer – perhaps to go out for a coffee…. A reputation they have created for themselves globally and one that hopefully under the new management will soon be put to an end. A historic company such as Alitalia deserves better!
For further information on prices, destinations or to book your ticket using Alitalia visit their website on http://www.alitalia.com
This information has been collected using various websites, search engines and information gathered from other Bushdrummers to help you find flights to
Fly Emirates
If there is an airline or airways that can actually show their competitors that one can run a company with over 8000 members of staff and still provide quality service – then perhaps Emirates can be proud to fly their flag.
Emirates was formed just over 20 years ago and is owned by the Government of Dubai.
Emirates has quite a few connections from
If your destination takes you to
FYI - Al Maktoum International Airport, planned to become the largest passenger and cargo hub in the world, ten times larger than
If completed as planned, the airport will have an annual cargo capacity of 12 million tons, three times that of Memphis International Airport, currently the world’s largest cargo hub, and a passenger capacity between 120 million and 150 million per annum - nearly 65% more than Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, currently the world's busiest passenger airport.
For further information on prices, destinations or to book your ticket using Emirates visit their website on http://www.emirates.com
This information has been collected using various websites, search engines and information gathered from other Bushdrummers to help you find flights to
Virgin Atlantic – mainly for travellers living in
When mentioning this Airlines – one must mention the founder and energy behind the company, Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson (born 18 July 1950), an English entrepreneur best known for his Virgin brand of over 360 companies – his 1st was formed at the age of 16.
In the 1980s he set up Virgin Atlantic Airways and has been very competitive flying out of
Sir Richard has always tried to keep a clear vision on quality, value and most importantly customer service for his travelers. The latter – most airlines are beginning to forget the value of.
I have travelled with Virgin on a number of occasions and have yet to be disappointed.
This airways is best suited for the British traveler flying out of the
To date – Virgin flies into
For more information on flights, destinations and to book your ticket with Virgin visit their website on http://www.virgin-atlantic.com
This information has been collected using various websites, search engines and information gathered from other Bushdrummers to help you find flights to
The Skyteam – National Airlines working together
The second question that most 1st time travellers need answered when travelling to
The 1st is which country to visit…?
Perhaps the most “united commercial transport team” that I could find doing my searches for fellow Bushdrummers is The Skyteam – for further information visit - http://www.skyteam.com
This is a group of National Airlines that work together sharing commercial flight paths from one continent to the other or from one country to the other where they try and not overlap flight routes allowing them to increase destinations and share commercial benefits.
From personal experience, they also help each other when a flight is cancelled or delayed. In other words - for example, when flying from
This information has been collected using various websites, search engines and information gathered from other Bushdrummers to help you find flights to
Coastweek.com -- Delta airline's maiden flight is using
a Boeing 757-300ER, with a 221 seats capacity.
DELTA AIRLINES WILL EVENTUALLY FLY OVER 800
TRAVELLERS A WEEK FROM ATLANTA TO NAIROBI
Coastweek -- Kenya 's tourism industry will celebrate the inaugural Delta Airlines Nairobi-Atlanta flight, which is scheduled to arrive at Nairobi 's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport around 4.30 p.m., next Wednesday, June 03, 2009.
Delta airline's maiden flight is using a Boeing 757-300ER, with a 221 seats capacity, and will eventually be flying over 800 travellers per week from Atlanta to Nairobi.
There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony at the airport to officially launch direct flights from Nairobi to Atlanta .
The ceremony will be graced by Prime Minister Hon. Raila Odinga, Tourism Minister Hon. Najib Balala, United States of America Ambassador to Kenya H.E Michael Rannenberger, and Delta Air Lines Europe, Middle East and Africa Vice President Frank Jahangir.
In addition, Transport Minister Chirau Ali Mwakwere, Kenya 's Ambassador to the U.S Peter Ogego and former Atlanta Mayor Ambassador Andrew Young will be on board the flight.
American travellers to Kenya will now fly to Nairobi without the hassle of going through the European capitals where it takes over 30 hours and has remained a major deterrent for tourism from the US.
With the direct flight from Atlanta , this will be reduced to only 12 hours.
Earlier this year Minister Balala and the management of Delta Airlines, one of the biggest airlines in USA , reached a partnership to promote Kenya tourism in America ahead of the inaugural flight.
According to the Senior Marketing and Communication Manager of the airline Ms. Jeanne Wilson who met with the Minister at the airline's headquarters in Atlanta , Delta has the largest frequent flier database in the world that could be reached through its well-established marketing channels.
The Minister observed that the Delta Airline flights will be a big boost to the tourism sector in Kenya which is yet to attain full recovery from the effect of last years post election crisis.
"The direct air connection between the US and Nairobi and the election of President Barrack Obama is the best opportunity we have ever had to reach the huge potential of the American tourism market", said the Minister.
During his Atlanta visit the Minister also discussed with the president of Legacy Entertainment in Hollywood , Los Angeles Mr. Steven Moore plans to organize trips for US celebrities to come to Kenya for photo shoots.
Further Director of External Affairs and Community Relations, Ms. Scarlet Pressley-Brown said she will organize the travel of Ron Clark Academy students to Nairobi aboard the inaugural flight.
These are students who made performances during the Obama campaign and will provide mileage in promotion of the Delta Airlines flight as well as Kenya as a destination.
The Minister also met with the Kenya Diaspora in Atlanta , who welcomed the move by the Delta Airlines to introduce a direct flight to Nairobi as this will reduce the cost and time of travel to home.
The United States is now the second largest source market for tourist arrivals into Kenya registering 100,516 arrivals in 2007 after UK which recorded 203,494 visitors.
Delta Airlines –
For the American traveller to Africa, Delta (part of Skyteam - http://www.skyteam.com/) has various options from the Unites States to cities in
What may add the extra couple of hours to the flight for most
You may find connections with Delta or to
For information on
For further information on prices, destinations or to book your ticket using Delta Airlines visit their website on http://www.delta.com/
This information has been collected using various websites, search engines and information gathered from other Bushdrummers to help you find flights to