The government has moved to tighten controls and enhance operational efficiency at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), with a range of measures being implemented to improve passenger processing and overall airport operations.
Among the measures underway is the deployment of the Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS), which is expected to streamline airport operations through enhanced identification and management of departing and arriving flights, both domestic and international.
Under the optimisation plan, terminals will accommodate a centralised system for airline check-in and passenger screening, with clear designations primarily for arrivals and departures.
According to the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), the modernisation programme also includes the construction of a new terminal, with the contractor already on site.
The project is expected to take 54 months to complete and will provide additional capacity for approximately 10 million passengers annually.
In an update provided by the Border Control and Operations Coordination Committee (BCOCC) during its 69th meeting, the government also announced that it is advancing implementation of the Advanced Passenger Registration (APR) system to enhance information sharing and operational situational awareness.
The associated data-control facilities are expected to be operational within the next month.
The measures form part of the broader Sh154.2 billion JKIA modernisation programme, aimed at expanding the airport’s capacity, improving operational efficiency and strengthening Kenya’s position as a leading aviation hub in the region.
KAA has also begun strict enforcement of baggage-handling procedures at JKIA. Airlines are required to ensure that baggage is properly identified and processed either as passenger luggage or cargo, as applicable.
Passengers travelling to Nairobi have been advised against attaching their luggage to that of other passengers. Any such baggage found at the airport will be returned at the passenger’s own cost.
Similarly, cargo must be processed through designated terminals and in accordance with established procedures.
Airlines found facilitating the movement of cargo outside authorised channels will face regulatory action, including suspension where applicable.
According to the Committee, the directive is aimed at curbing irregular baggage-handling practices involving certain operators, including the transportation of luggage beyond permissible passenger baggage limits and in violation of established aviation safety and baggage-sizing guidelines issued by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), as well as carrier-specific carry-on requirements captured in a Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) Advisory Circular.
Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Dr Raymond Omollo, who chairs the Committee, emphasised the need for agencies to fully implement resolutions reached by the BCOCC.
Omollo further stressed that resolutions reached by the Committee must translate into action.
"When we agree on certain things, it is critical that we follow them through. So that it is not just an issue of simply ticking the boxes."
Immigration Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang stressed the importance of close inter-agency collaboration through an intelligence-led and coordinated approach.
"We need a relationship between all the agencies. We need a coordinated approach; one that is intelligence-led, walk together, knowing that we have a common focus on ensuring that our country is able to secure itself, while ensuring that we don't compromise on travel and trade."
JKIA handles approximately 8.8 million passengers and more than 358 kilotonnes of cargo annually, serving as a major transit hub. Approximately 60 per cent of passengers processed at the facility are transit passengers.
The optimisation is expected to increase JKIA's passenger-handling capacity from approximately eight million to 12 million passengers annually.
