Fresh competition is expected in the domestic air travel business after the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) awarded little known Renegade Air Limited a three-year service licence on 10 prime routes.
The agency said the airline had been cleared to operate on routes connecting Nairobi to main business and tourism destinations including Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret, Malindi, Lokichogio, Kitale, Lodwar, Marsabit, Loyengalani, Ileret, Kapese and Nariokotome.
Renegade Air has also been cleared to conduct aerial work services in Kenya and the rest of Africa using a range of aircraft based at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and Wilson Airport in Nairobi. The company’s fleet will include an AS 350 helicopter, a Cessna 208, a Bombardier Dash 8 and a Boeing 737.
The allocation of prime routes to Renegade Air puts it in direct competition with Kenya Airways’ low-cost airline Jambojet that already operates flights between Nairobi and Eldoret, Kisumu, Lamu, Malindi, Mombasa and Diani.
Besides turning heat on KQ, the move by KCAA is likely to rekindle debate over a long pending application by London Stock Exchange-listed airline, Fastjet.
Fastjet is seeking clearance to operate on routes similar to those awarded to Renegade Air.
The low-cost airline intends to operate international flights to and from Europe, Middle East, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa and Tanzania, among other countries as well as domestic flights between the cities of Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu and Eldoret.
KQ, which operates low-cost carrier JamboJet, has raised objections to Fastjet’s planned re-entry into Kenyan market, signalling rising competition in the nascent budget airline business. (bdafrica)