Over one hundred planes that are owned by Kenyan tycoons are now set for auction. The planes will be auctioned by the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) over what has been termed as rising parking charges.
According to a report that appeared in the Business Daily (a Kenyan business newspaper that is owned by the Nation Media Group) on Monday, the KAA has already declared the flights a safety risk.
“The KAA, the agency in charge of operations, safety and security at all Kenyan airports, has given the aircraft’s owners 30 days to claim them or have them sold through public auction. The planes 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,” the report said.
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The report said that the auction will take place on September 14 this year.
“The said aircraft will be sold by public auction and the proceeds of sale shall be defrayed against September 14. 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 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 announced in a Kenya Gazette notice.
In the notice, Mr. Gitari said that to avert the auction, the planes must be moved upon payment of all outstanding fees. “The aircraft must be removed within 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,” he said.
The report in the Business Daily explained that large aircraft pay Sh. 2,707 daily to park at airports like Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Sh. 63,355) and Sh. 76,000 to land during the day and night respectively. Small planes on the other hand are charged Sh. 1,625 daily parking fees and Sh. 24,150 and Sh. 29,000 for landing during the day and night respectively.