Kenya Airways (KQ) saw its planes scheduled to land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi diverted to Mombasa and Kilimanjaro in Tanzania on Thursday morning.
In a statement on April 17, Kenya Airways informed customers that the diversions are due to the fog experienced in Nairobi.
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“We wish to inform our customers that due to poor visibility caused by fog this morning, some of our flights scheduled to land at JKIA were diverted to Mombasa and Kilimanjaro,” Kenya Airways said.
The airline said the diversions are to ensure the safety of customers, which is their number one priority.
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Kenya Airways has warned that there will be delays in departures and arrivals of some flights due to the diversion.
“The diversions were a safety measure to ensure the well-being of our crew and customers, which is our number one priority. As a result, we expect some delays today for certain flight departures and arrivals,” KQ said.
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The Airline apologized for the inconvenience caused to affected guests and provided customer care contacts for more information and assistance.
Affected Customers can get in touch via +254711024747, WhatsApp +254705474747, or X @KQSupport for further assistance.
Possible Causes of Flight Diversions
According to Simple Flying, many different factors can cause an aircraft to divert or land at an unplanned destination.
Among them is poor weather conditions, especially at the routes or the destination airport.
Others include technical issues, medical issues, passenger disruption, safety, or other concerns.
Besides, some planes may experience problems at the destination airports, which might force the pilot to divert.
For example, there might be a runway closure at the airport, and the approaching plane may have to divert.
Also Read: JKIA Wins Prestigious International Award
Passenger Dies on Kenya Airways Plane
The incident comes after a passenger on a KQ flight operating from New York (JFK) to Nairobi (NBO) died on April 11, 2025.
Kenya Airways said the elderly passenger had earlier experienced a medical emergency.
At around 8:40am East Africa Time (EAT), the crew notified the Kenya Airways Operations Control Centre that the passenger had collapsed.
Also Read: Govt Ramps Up Security at JKIA to Save Kenyans Travelling Abroad
The crew, supported by three qualified medical professionals who volunteered on board, immediately initiated emergency procedures, including the use of onboard medical equipment in accordance with international aviation medical protocols.
The flight diverted toward Entebbe International Airport (EBB) to expedite urgent medical care.
However, the passenger was pronounced dead by the attending medical professionals at 9:10 hours EAT, before landing.
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