Audit Reveals Ten Safety Crises at JKIA, Risking Nairobi Aviation Hub

(NAIROBI, KENYA) A June 2025 International Air Transport Association (IATA) audit has flagged 10 safety crisis points at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, warning that without urgent fixes the airport faces a downgrade that could bar large long‑haul jets and damage Nairobi’s role as East Africa’s main aviation hub. The IATA audit cites a runway in “one stage or another of disintegration,” a severe firefighting personnel gap, and weak day‑to‑day safety oversight.

Aviation unions and independent experts say the findings point to systemic issues that, if enforced by regulators, could force intercontinental flights to reroute, cut freight capacity, and cost Kenya billions in tourism and export revenue.

The airport serves more than seven million passengers each year and anchors key sectors including horticulture, fresh fish, and high‑value exports. A downgrade of its rescue and firefighting category from 9 to 7—recommended by the audit because of staff shortfalls—would immediately bar aircraft such as the Boeing 777, Boeing 787, and Airbus A350. That would hit passenger links to Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and North America, and disrupt time‑sensitive cargo that relies on widebody belly space.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the risk goes beyond airline schedules; it reaches deep into Kenya’s economic outlook, investor confidence, and the country’s standing in regional aviation.

Audit Findings and Immediate Risks

The IATA audit lists 10 safety crisis points, several involving basic operational tasks that major airports must manage daily:

• Runway disintegration
  • The sole operational runway shows heavy wear and thick rubber build‑up that hides markings and sharply reduces friction.
  • In wet weather, the odds of a runway excursion rise.
  • The audit says parts of the pavement are in stages of disintegration, requiring full resurfacing and strict friction testing, not just cleaning.
• Firefighting personnel shortage
  • Only 77 active firefighting staff, including trainees, are on duty against an approved level of 143.
  • The gap forces a three‑shift roster that breaches international fatigue and safety standards.
  • The audit recommends a downgrade from category 9 to 7; if enforced, large jets would be barred, limiting long‑haul service immediately.
• Safety systems breakdown
  • Coordination between Ground Flight Safety and Air Traffic Control is weak, with poor handovers and unclear roles.
  • Such gaps raise the risk of runway incursions and ground collisions, especially during peak hours and low‑visibility conditions.
• Marshallers’ training deficiency
  • Aircraft marshallers have not had refresher training on International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) signage and phraseology.
  • This increases the risk of miscommunication on the apron and at parking stands.
• Wildlife hazard management failure
  • Open drainage and stagnant water near cargo areas attract birds and waterfowl.
  • Wildlife teams lack proper equipment and certification in safety management systems.
  • Bird strikes can cause engine damage, emergency returns, and added costs and safety risk.
• Poor runway and taxiway maintenance
  • Regular repainting to ICAO standards and routine friction checks have lagged.
  • Incomplete markings, fading lights, and delayed rubber removal compound risk during rain or heavy operations.
• Inadequate safety oversight
  • Systemic failures in risk management and basic controls mean known hazards are not tracked, documented, or corrected fast enough.
• Governance and accountability issues
  • Weak oversight structures and unclear lines of responsibility slow decision‑making and allow repeat findings to linger across inspection cycles.
• Investment and modernization stagnation
  • The collapse of the proposed Adani Group concession left the airport without a clear modernization plan, while regional competitors expand terminals, runways, and cargo capacity.
• Economic and strategic vulnerability
  • If widebody aircraft pull out, Nairobi could lose connections and freight flow to rival hubs, harming jobs and foreign exchange earnings.

These safety crisis points create a layered risk: even if one area improves, failures in training or oversight can still trigger incidents. IATA warns that without a sustained plan—budgeted, scheduled, and monitored—the airport could face a downgrade process that moves faster than fix timetables, especially after a serious incident.

Official Response and Reactions

The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) says it has acted on many findings:

• Reports comprehensive maintenance contracts for runway and taxiways.
• Claims there are no current potholes and that 75 new firefighters finished training in June 2025.
• Says funding is now in place for full runway resurfacing.
• Insists daily sweeping, rubber removal, and repainting are being carried out, and that staff are undergoing refresher training.

Unions and safety experts are not yet convinced:

• They argue much of the activity looks reactive and that fatigue risks remain until the firefighting roster returns to approved strength.
• They point to coordination gaps among safety, operations, and air traffic units.
• They want hard deadlines, public progress updates, and transparent audits with independent verification.

Context within National and Regional Aviation

• Kenya earned a strong 91.77% score in the 2022 ICAO audit on security and oversight and joined the U.S. Transportation Security Administration One‑Stop Security Program, reducing duplicate screening for some connecting flights to the United States.
• Yet the IATA audit focuses on daily operational safety at JKIA, showing that a country can excel in some global checks while facing immediate operational risks at a single airport.
• Kenya’s National Aviation Safety Plan (2023–2025) lists runway excursions and incursions among priority risks, along with loss of control in flight, mid‑air collisions, and controlled flight into terrain.
• The audit suggests JKIA’s risk controls are not yet solid in areas that matter most to heavy‑jet operations.

The next six months are critical: scheduled resurfacing, staffing levels, and training records must match the airport’s published rescue and firefighting category and the mix of aircraft it advertises it can support.

Impacts on Airlines, Cargo, and Travellers

• For airlines: widebody fleets and intercontinental routes require predictable standards—strong friction coefficients, clean runway markings, reliable wildlife control, and certified firefighters on fatigue‑safe rosters. If downgraded, carriers will shift long‑haul aircraft to compliant hubs.
• For cargo operators: even short bans can break cold‑chain timing for flowers, fresh produce, and fish, pushing shippers to reroute. That would be a severe blow for growers and exporters who rely on overnight lifts.
• For travellers: limits would show up as fewer nonstop options, longer connections, and higher fares. Families and business travellers could face last‑minute changes and reduced seat availability during peak seasons.

Travel agents advise passengers to check flight status regularly and allow extra connection time if rebooked through other hubs.

Key Deliverables KAA Must Demonstrate

KAA’s plan will be judged on tangible results on the ground. The audit sets out these key deliverables:

1. Restore and maintain runway friction to ICAO standards; keep markings clean and visible.
2. Fill the firefighting roster to approved levels and run fatigue‑safe shifts.
3. Standardize handovers between Ground Flight Safety and Air Traffic Control.
4. Provide refresher training to marshallers on ICAO signage and phraseology, with up‑to‑date records.
5. Drain standing water near cargo and install wildlife‑deterrent measures; certify wildlife teams under safety management systems.
6. Confirm routine maintenance cycles, including repainting and scheduled friction testing, with documented results.

On governance, the audit calls for clear accountability so known issues do not bounce between units without action. Investment plans must be durable, with timelines matching the pace of aircraft operations. If one runway carries the entire day’s load, the maintenance cycle must be relentless and contingency plans ready for closures.

Role of the Regulator and Regional Competition

• The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority can support recovery by stepping up spot checks, validating training and staffing numbers, and ensuring the published rescue and firefighting category matches the airport’s actual capability.
• The regulator’s safety mandates and circulars are available on the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority website, which carriers and airport users follow closely for updates.
• Market rivals across the region are already adding capacity; if Nairobi stumbles, neighboring hubs will pick up long‑haul slots and cargo contracts. Restoring widebody service can take years and large incentives.

Can It Be Fixed?

Yes—technically the situation is fixable:

• Runway resurfacing, steady rubber removal, and proper markings can be delivered on tight timelines.
• Staffing gaps can close with focused recruitment, better rosters, and humane shift design.
• Training records can be updated within weeks.

The deeper challenge is sustaining those standards month after month. Safety is not a one‑off campaign; it is a long‑term habit that must outlast leadership changes, budget cycles, and weather swings.

Travelers, airlines, exporters, and tourism leaders will be watching JKIA’s next moves closely. IATA’s audit has drawn a line: either the airport proves it can meet daily operational standards for large jets, or it risks a downgrade with steep costs. KAA says it has heard the message and is acting. The facts on the runway—clean markings, strong friction readings, rested firefighters, fast wildlife response—will tell the story.