Kenya Ends a Two-Week Ban on Passenger Flights from Dubai

Kenya has lifted a ban on all passenger and transit flights from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The government imposed the embargo on January 10th in retaliation against a move by Dubai to suspend all passenger and transit flights from Kenya over fake Covid-19 tests.

Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) director-general Gilbert Kibe says the restriction was lifted on Monday night, adding that the authority expects Dubai to reciprocate the move.

“Kenya shall do a NOTAM lifting the suspension of flights to and from the UAE from midnight tonight,” Kibe told Business Daily.

Kibe did not disclose the circumstances under which the ban was waived, saying “it is not for public consumption.” Both Kenya and Dubai bans did not affect cargo flights between the two countries.

The Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) imposed a ban on Kenyan flights citing the high number of travelers from Nairobi who were testing positive for Covid-19 upon arrival in the Gulf state despite carrying negative test results.

Investigations revealed that rogue Ministry of Health officials and private medical testing centers were colluding with travelers to issue false Covid-19 PCR results to aid travel to the UAE.