National carrier Kenya Airways has confirmed that one of its aircraft operating between Nairobi and Cape Town suffered a bird strike upon arrival in South Africa, forcing the airline to ground the aircraft and to cancel the scheduled return flight to Kenya.
In a customer update issued on Saturday, May 9, evening, the airline said the aircraft, which had departed from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to Cape Town International Airport, landed safely at approximately 1:55 p.m. East African Time before technical teams discovered substantial damage to the aircraft’s radome.
The radome is the protective nose-cone structure that shields sensitive weather-radar equipment at the front of the aircraft. Damage to the component can affect flight safety systems and typically requires immediate inspection and repair before the aircraft can resume operations.
Kenya Airways said the plane was subsequently declared unable to operate due to technical or mechanical issues requiring urgent maintenance.
“The aircraft landed safely at Cape Town International Airport at approximately 1:55 p.m. (East African Time). Following technical assessment, the aircraft was declared Aircraft on Ground (AOG) following significant damage to the radome,” the airline said in its statement.
Kenya Airways grounds plane after bird strike
The incident disrupted the scheduled Cape Town-to-Nairobi return service, with KQ saying technical teams were working “round the clock” to restore the aircraft and return it to Kenya within the next 24 hours.
“In line with standard safety and operational procedures, the aircraft is currently undergoing the necessary inspections and maintenance. Our technical teams are working round the clock to recover the aircraft back to Nairobi within the next 24 hours,” the statement adds.
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Kenya Airways said it was also working to minimize the impact on passengers through alternative travel arrangements and direct communication updates.
“We are actively working to minimise disruption to our schedule and support affected customers through communication updates on alternative travel arrangements where applicable. We sincerely apologise to our guests for the inconvenience caused and appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to restore normal operations.”
The disruption affects one of KQ’s key regional long-haul African routes linking Nairobi with South Africa’s tourism and business hubs. The airline operates extensive services between Kenya and South Africa, with Johannesburg remaining its busiest South African destination, while Cape Town serves as an important secondary route.
Kenya Airways typically operates multiple weekly services between Nairobi and Cape Town, with direct flight times averaging approximately five hours and 45 minutes.
Some rotations also include stopovers through Victoria Falls or Livingstone, depending on operational scheduling. In addition, the airline runs up to three daily flights between Nairobi and Johannesburg.
KQ did not specify the type of aircraft involved in the Cape Town incident, nor did it indicate how many passengers were affected by the disrupted return service.
Past disruptions
The latest disruption comes after the airline warned customers last month about significant operational disruptions caused by poor visibility at Nairobi’s JKIA.
In an April 10 operational notice, Kenya Airways said several flights had experienced delays or diversions due to low visibility affecting aircraft operations at the airport. Some aircraft were diverted to Moi International Airport as a precautionary safety measure.
“Flight diversion is a necessary safety precaution to ensure the safety of all onboard and remains our highest priority,” the airline said at the time.
A month earlier, heavy overnight rains and flooding around Nairobi also disrupted scheduled operations and forced additional diversions to Mombasa.
Kenya Airways said adverse weather conditions had affected departures and arrivals at JKIA, creating knock-on delays across its network.
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The airline advised passengers in March to expect possible schedule changes while operational teams worked to restore normal service levels.
The bird strike incident also comes as Kenya Airways intensifies efforts to restore aircraft availability within its fleet following months of maintenance and operational recovery work involving several grounded Boeing Dreamliners.
Boeing 787 Dreamliner released back into service
Earlier on Saturday, the national carrier announced the return of one of its grounded Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft into active service ahead of the busy travel season.
The airline described the development as a “key milestone” in its fleet recovery and operational readiness program. According to KQ, the aircraft had already resumed international operations after safely arriving in Paris.
Kenya Airways credited technical and engineering teams for the restoration work, saying the aircraft had undergone heavy maintenance checks before re-entering service.
The airline also linked the fleet recovery to commitments made by Acting Group Managing Director and CEO George Kamal, who said grounded Dreamliners would progressively return to operations before mid-May.
Fleet availability has remained a major focus for Kenya Airways as airlines globally continue dealing with maintenance backlogs, aircraft shortages, and supply-chain constraints affecting spare parts and repair schedules.
