MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT, INFRASTRUCTURE, HOUSING, URBAN
DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS
COMMUNIQUE ON THE RESUMPTION OF INTERNATIONAL AIR
TRAVEL ON 1ST AUGUST 2020
31 July 2020
His Excellency the President of the Republic of Kenya directed that
International Air Travel would resume on 1st August, 2020 and
instructed the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing, Urban
Development and Public Works to develop a Protocol to ensure the
safety of travelers.
The Ministry in consultation with relevant stakeholders prepared a
Protocol for Air Travel Operations during the Covid-19 Public Health
Crisis. The protocol seeks to provide guidelines to ensure that air
travel remains safe during the pandemic for domestic and
international flights.
The Protocol recognizes that the adverse impacts of the COVID-19
pandemic have been experienced in most sectors of the economy and
the aviation industry is amongst the worst impacted.
The Protocol has therefore confirmed that:-
1. All arriving passengers on international flights whose body
temperature is NOT above 37.5° C (99.5°F); do NOT have a
persistent cough, difficulty in breathing or other flu-like
symptoms; have negative PCR based COVID – 19 test carried out
within 96 hours before travel and are from countries considered
low to medium risk COVID – 19 transmission areas shall be
exempt from quarantine.
List of countries identified and announce yesterday from which
travelers will be exempt from quarantine include:
• Canada
• South Korea
• Namibia
• Uganda
• China
• Rwanda
• Morocco
• Japan
• Zimbabwe
• Ethiopia
• Switzerland
Additional countries identified today following further review
and Consultation between the Cabinet Secretaries
responsible for Transport, Health and Tourism:
• The United States of America (except for California, Florida
and Texas;
• United Kingdom
• France
• Germany
• Netherlands
• Qatar
• United Arab Emirates
• Italy
Review of countries from which travelers will not be required
to be quarantined upon arrival will be undertaken by Ministry
of Health on day to day basis. The Ministry will then advise
the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Urban Development
and Housing for further action.
The risk profile of any country could change and therefore the
status with regard to these clarifications and directives could
also change.
We wish to emphasize and reiterate that from 1st August 2020
Kenyan Airspace will be open to authorised airlines and
travelers. The issue is only whether the travelers will be
required to quarantine upon arrival in Kenya due to the risk
evaluation of respective countries. Those required to
quarantine will do so at Government designated facility or at
their home subject to prevailing guidelines.
2. For those passengers traveling out of the country, they will be
required to abide by the particular travel, health and COVID-19
related requirements of the destination country;
3. Passengers arriving on flights after the curfew, with a valid Air
Ticket and Boarding Pass shall be allowed to proceed to their
hotels and/or residences;
4. Drivers should have evidence that they have come from the
Airport to drop or pick up passengers;
5. Passengers departing on flights after the curfew, with a valid Air
Ticket and Boarding Pass shall be allowed to proceed to their
departure airport;
6. Air Operators shall provide guidance material to passengers
regarding application of the preventive measures on board;
7. Where physical distancing cannot be guaranteed because of the
seat configuration or other operational constraints, the crew
members will make constant on-board announcements
reminding passengers to adhere at all times to all the other
preventive measures including strict hand hygiene and
respiratory etiquette and should wear a surgical face mask. In
addition and in such cases other measures such as cabin
recirculation air filters will be put in place; and
8. Working jointly with Kenya Airports Authority and Kenya Civil
Aviation Authority, the Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure,
Housing, Urban Development and Public Works is reviewing
frequency and timing of flights to facilitate physical distancing at
the Airports.
James W. Macharia, EGH
CABINET SECRETARY
