NAIROBI, Kenya Jun 5 – The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has denied TUI Airlines Nederland B.V. an air service license to operate Inclusive Tour Charter flights on the Amsterdam–Zanzibar–Mombasa–Amsterdam route.
The Dutch-based charter airline had applied to operate two flights per week using a Boeing 787 Dreamliner based at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
The application, which proposed to connect key tourism hubs in East Africa with the Dutch capital, was declined without a public explanation from the authority.
KCAA, however, granted Martinair Holland N.V, a Dutch cargo carrier, a two-year license to operate non-scheduled international cargo and mail services between Amsterdam and Nairobi, marking a strategic development in air freight connectivity between Europe and East Africa.
The approved route permits Martinair to operate flights from Amsterdam to Nairobi and back, using a Boeing 747 freighter based at Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam.
The license, effective from 2nd December 2024, also allows routing via additional African cities, including Entebbe, Kigali, Khartoum, Harare, Dar es Salaam, Johannesburg, Cairo, Lusaka, Cape Town, Mauritius, and Réunion, although no traffic rights have been granted to or from those intermediate points.
Mombasa and Zanzibar hold significant strategic importance as premier leisure destinations, attracting a high volume of European travelers seeking sun, culture, and unique coastal experiences.
Both destinations are renowned for their pristine beaches, vibrant local cultures, and rich histories, making them popular holiday spots for tourists from across Europe.
