Kenya Issues 38 New Air Service Licences in Major Aviation Expansion
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has granted air service licences to 38 aviation operators, significantly expanding the country's operational capacity and reinforcing Nairobi's status as a key aviation hub for the continent. Confirmed via an official gazette notice dated 7 March, the approvals follow applications published for public review in December 2025 in compliance with the Civil Aviation Act. The majority of licences took effect from 29 January 2026, with validity periods of one to three years depending on the service category.
The newly licensed operators will provide a broad range of services spanning scheduled and non-scheduled passenger flights, cargo transport, aerial work, emergency medical air transport, aerial surveys, flying instruction and sightseeing operations. Familiar names in African aviation – including DAALLO Airlines, Bluebird Aviation, Jambojet and Buffair Services – are among those receiving approvals, while international operators such as European Cargo Limited and Smartwings Hungary secured authorisation for cargo and charter routes connecting Kenya with Cardiff and Budapest respectively. Established carriers Safarilink Aviation, AirKenya Express and Transafrican Air also received operational variations permitting aircraft additions, new bases and expanded route networks. The latest round follows a period of sustained growth in which the KCAA approved licences for more than ten new operators during 2024, with the scale of this latest approval indicating strong investor confidence in Kenya's aviation sector.
Source: The Kenya Times
