Kenyan lawmakers have petitioned the country's National Assembly to ensure that the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) conducts urgent safety inspections on all aircraft operated by Skyward Express (OW, Nairobi Wilson) and certifies mandatory and regular maintenance of the airline's fleet, according to a parliamentary statement.
ch-aviation has approached Skyward Express for comment.
In an emailed statement, KCAA spokesman Salim Ali Bakari said: "We have an appointment with the parliamentary committee where we shall make our official position known". Asked if he could confirm any of the concerns, he said: "That would be pre-empting our report".
The petition brought by Loima Member of Parliament Protus Akujah on October 18, supported by Endebess MP Robert Pukose, flagged concerns about alleged incidents reported by passengers, such as landing gear mishaps, unusual sounds from engines and aircraft parts during flights, and smoke from the wings. The petitioners also expressed concern about alleged high ticket prices charged by the airline in comparison to other carriers on similar routes. Akujah said efforts to have the KCAA address these issues were unsuccessful.
Other members of the House stressed the urgency of addressing these safety concerns. They called for comprehensive action to ensure the safety and integrity of all Kenyan aircraft rather than singling out one airline as the problem.
Skyward Express operates on domestic routes with an in-house fleet of two Fokker 50s, one Fokker 100 chartered to its virtual subsidiary Premier Airlines, one Dash 8-100, and one Dash 8-300, according to the ch-aviation fleets module. It recently took delivery of its first Fokker 70.
