Seeing traffic gridlocks on the Great North Road reminds one that air travel in Kenya is no longer a luxury. It is a necessity. Anyone on urgent business in any of the nation’s cities and pressed for time would rather fly than take their chances on the road. Further, many airlines with multiple frequencies in a day means ticket prices are competitive. They are no longer the preserve of the well-heeled.
Khafafa: Think Kenya Airways is expensive? Consider these 10 factors on air tickets
Here are seven golden rules of air travel that may provide much-needed clarity to first-time travellers both at a local and international level. Because “tis the season to be jolly,” they are shared with a light touch.
- Know your flight number. Most commercial airlines run on regular schedules. They have fixed times of departure and arrival. These schedules ran for months or years on end with each destination accorded a flight number that corresponds with a fixed time. The upside of knowing your flight number is that you can look it up online to gauge whether there are flight disruptions or cancellations and plan accordingly. We are in the 21st Century. Don’t be caught by surprise.
- Keep time. Airlines run tight schedules. To that end, they make generous allowances for passengers to arrive at the airport, check-in and board their planes. For most international travel, check-in counters open 3-4 hours before departure and close an hour before departure. Local airlines allow up to 30 minutes to departure. Fun fact; you won’t need a dose of your underarm roll-on or expensive perfume if you arrive early to avoid sweaty last-minute running to beat check-in times.
- No exceptions are made for VIPs. These days, check-in times are strictly enforced with no exceptions made for passengers who come late. The counters are electronically closed at a set time. Persuading airline staff to circumvent lateness rules won’t work as these closures are beyond their control. Note to bosses; your executive authority ends when you enter the terminal building.
- Being late is expensive. Denial of check-in for a passenger who delays by 5 minutes may look frivolous but it is based on ramifications that can be costly to airlines. For instance, every minute of delay costs airlines like Kenya Airways USD 40 for a narrow-body plane and USD 80 for a wide-body plane. This is even before considering connections at destinations that may be missed or passengers who have to be accommodated in hotels on account of these missed connections. Or you could always charter a private jet if you can pick the tab for causing delays.
- Know your weight. Most international airlines allow two bags to be checked in of a maximum of 23 kilos each and one carry-on bag of 7 kg. If one’s bag is over 23 kilos, the automated conveyor belt that moves it on for loading on the plane won’t work. It is best to weigh one’s bags to determine precise weights before check-in. Know your luggage weight. Your body weight here is inconsequential.
- Safety is a priority. Overweight checked luggage has safety implications. In many jurisdictions, 23kg is the limit permissible for baggage handlers to load planes manually without injury. Further, pilots have to factor in the precise weights of planes when making calculations for fuel. Wrong calculations can result in greater fuel burn and potentially a shortfall especially when planes are put in a holding pattern at the destination. One announcement you will never hear on KQ; “ladies and gentlemen, we are turning back because we don’t have enough fuel…”
- Airlines are in business to make money. Planes make more money by being in the air than on the ground. Ground time is kept to a minimum with over 100 people working in concert to ensure that a plane is offloaded, cleaned, fueled, loaded and boarded within 45 minutes to an hour after landing. Passengers can help keep this flow by checking in within the specified time, going through immigration duty-free and arriving at the boarding gate at least an hour before departure for international flights. You are finally ready to board. Smile, you are on Candid Camera! Just kidding!
Enjoy your travel this holiday and best wishes for a prosperous 2025
Leonard Khafafa
Public Policy Analyst and Aviation Commentator
