KCAA grants air service licences to 32 operators in new gazette round
Key points
- Kenya Civil Aviation Authority granted air service licences to 32 of 34 applicants in a gazetted round.
- Tanzanair received a two-year international non-scheduled passenger/cargo/mail licence between Tanzania and Kenya entry/exit points from 12 February 2026.
- Saudia’s multi-route cargo bid was cut to one route (Jeddah–Nairobi–Moscow) for two years from 14 January 2026, without traffic rights on listed Africa/Eldoret links.
- Jambojet got one-year international non-scheduled rights from 29 July 2026; Freedom Airline Express received a three-year domestic licence on 20 routes from 26 April 2026 plus one-year international non-scheduled rights.
Thirty-two airlines walked out of a KCAA licensing round with paper in hand; two did not. Acting Director General Nicholas Bodo’s gazette notice, reported by KBC, records approvals after 34 applications earlier this year.
Tanzanian Air Services Limited (Tanzanair) secured a two-year international non-scheduled licence for passenger, cargo and mail between designated Tanzania–Kenya points from 12 February 2026, operating three aircraft from Dar es Salaam. Six Tanzanian operators had applied for related non-scheduled rights.
Saudia trimmed; Jambojet and Freedom expanded
Saudi flag carrier Saudia had sought cargo rights on twelve routes but was granted only Jeddah–Nairobi–Moscow for two years from 14 January 2026, without traffic rights between Johannesburg, Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, N’djamena, Lagos, Kano, Khartoum, Niamey, Entebbe, Eldoret and Nairobi. Jambojet received a one-year international non-scheduled passenger/cargo/mail licence from 29 July 2026 from JKIA and Moi International Airport. Freedom Airline Express got a three-year domestic passenger/cargo/mail licence on 20 routes from 26 April 2026 and a one-year international non-scheduled licence from 29 July 2026.
Energy & transport desk: Energy & Transport. Verified operator names, dates and route limits from KBC/gazette summary; full schedule tables sit in the official notice.
Airports and ground handlers will care about actual slot uptake more than licence counts. For Saudia and other cargo players, the single-route grant is a hard signal on fifth-freedom ambitions through Nairobi.
Based on KBC reporting of the KCAA gazette notice. Licence conditions are as gazetted; operators remain subject to safety oversight.
