KAA to auction 101 aircraft over accrued parking fees – Nairobi News

Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has given owners of 101 aircraft abandoned at various airports across the country 30 days to claim them or have them auctioned.

In a Gazette notice dated Friday August 14, KAA unveiled the plans to auction the planes in an attempt to recover the parking fees accrued by the planes.

The auction notice comes a month after Kenya allowed air travel to resume following the phased reopening of the country from a Covid-19 lockdown.

“The said aircraft will be sold by public auction and the proceeds of the sale shall be defrayed against any incurred charges and the balance, if any, shall remain at the owners’ credit but should there be a shortfall, the owner shall be liable thereof,” said KAA acting managing director Alex Gitari in the latest Kenya Gazette notice.

The aeroplanes include those used by business tycoons and politicians for short flights and commercial aircraft owned by top firms such as 748 Air Services, Silverstone, Jetlink and Fly540.

Aircraft belonging to State agencies like the Kenya Police, Moi University and Somalia Airforce also risk being sold when the auctioneer’s hammer falls after September 14.

“Disposal of Uncollected Goods Act (Cap. 38) of the laws of Kenya, to the parties appearing on the Schedule herein below to take delivery of the aircraft parked at various airport’s apron/airside areas or any unserviceable aircrafts parked in the airport movement area in absolute contravention of ICAO safety standards. Delivery must be done within thirty (30) days from the date of publication of this notice and upon payment of all outstanding charges and any incidental costs including the cost of publication of this notice, failure to which the said aircraft will be sold by public auction,” read the notice in part.

According to Business Daily, large aircraft are subject to Ksh 2,707 daily parking fees at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport while small planes are charged Ksh 1,625.

The large planes are also charged at least Ksh 63,355 in landing fee while small planes fork up Ksh 24,150.

The abandoned planes incude 17 found at JKIA, 64 at Wilson Airport, as well as others at Moi International Airport in Mombasa and Lokichoggio airstrip.