Kenya Airways celebrated the retirement of veteran Flight Purser Dickson Nyibule after more than four decades of service with the national carrier on May 22.
Nyibule joined Kenya Airways in 1986 at the age of 20 and retired on his 60th birthday after completing his final flight from New York to Nairobi aboard the Dreamliner.
The veteran now says he is finally ready to trade the crew seat for a passenger seat.
“After serving for 40 years, I want to replace the crew seat with the passenger seat. I want to sit on that passenger seat and be served,” Nyibule said.
Dickson Nyibule’s Early Life
Born in Majengo, Mombasa, Nyibule grew up in a family of seven children in a tightly knit community where everyone looked after one another.
Growing up as the fifth-born among six boys and one girl, he says his older siblings shaped his discipline and outlook on life.
He attended Ziwani Primary School in Mombasa and developed a reading habit at a young age, becoming a member of both the Kenya National Library Service and the British Council Library.
Dream of Journalism Before Aviation
Before joining aviation, Dickson Nyibule aspired to become an international journalist, a career that would allow him to travel the world.
His passion for current affairs led him to be actively involved in school clubs while studying at Kenyatta High School in Mwatate.
However, his aviation journey began unexpectedly in 1985, after he completed his A-Levels.
While visiting a friend in Wundanyi, he came across a newspaper advert announcing that Kenya Airways was recruiting flight attendants.
Encouraged by a friend who recognized his passion for travel and global affairs, Nyibule applied for the position.
After successfully passing three rounds of interviews, he and another candidate were the only applicants from Mombasa to advance.
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His Career in Kenya Airways
Dickson Nyibule’s first days at Kenya Airways nearly ended before they began after the airline informed recruits that the entire intake had been nullified shortly after they reported to Nairobi.
Instead of returning to Mombasa immediately, Nyibule stayed with his uncle in Nairobi. A week later, the airline recalled the recruits, allowing him to officially begin his career on July 8, 1986.
Nyibule’s first operational flight was aboard the Fokker 27 on the Nairobi-Mombasa route.
However, his first experience of being airborne came earlier during training sessions on the Airbus A310, when trainee crew members were invited on board while pilots conducted touch-and-go exercises at the airport.
Over the years, he flew nearly every aircraft operated by Kenya Airways, including the Fokker 27, Fokker 50, Boeing 767, Airbus A310, Boeing 777-200, Boeing 777-300, and the Dreamliner.
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Flying Four Kenyan Presidents
During his 40-year career, Nyibule flew with four Kenyan presidents — former Presidents Daniel arap Moi, Mwai Kibaki, Uhuru Kenyatta, and President William Ruto.
Dickson Nyibule described the achievement as rare and memorable.
Out of the 33 cabin crew members he joined in 1986, Nyibule is the only one who has remained actively flying.
In 1987, Nyibule finally achieved his childhood dream of visiting London.
He toured iconic sites, including Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, London Bridge, and the Houses of Parliament, places he had only imagined while reading books as a child.
