Kenya: Why the Mogadishu-Nairobi Flight Tests Patience to the Limit

Peter Leftie

15 June 2011

opinion

Nairobi — With the dubious distinction as one of the world’s most dangerous cities – alongside Baghdad, Kabul and Kandahar – I was a bit surprised when I found the transit lounge for Mogadishu bound passengers fully packed with eager travellers waiting to board the early morning African Express flight.

“Soon we will have as many as three flights to Mogadishu daily, so many people are travelling to Mogadishu these days,” quipped one hostess on noticing my bemusement.

The plane initially scheduled to depart at 6.30am that Sunday did not take off until 8.30am, two hours late, by which time some grumbling passengers had started demanding a refund so that they could make alternative travel arrangements.

“This is the second time they are delaying. I will stop using this airline,” said an agitated traveller on the queue.

More surprises awaited me as I boarded the plane. I found my seat already occupied by an elderly passenger and when I enquired from the air hostesses, I was told that one could sit anywhere in the economy class.

A direct flight from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to Mogadishu takes one hour, twenty minutes, enough for a light meal.

At 9.43 am, we alighted at the Aden Abdulle International in the seaside Somalia capital.

Like many other airports in this part of the world — Jomo Kenyatta, Julius Nyerere and Oliver Tambot in Jo’burg, the Mogadishu airport is named after one of the country’s independence heroes.

But unlike the other airports where emphasis is put on detecting drug traffickers, security officials at the airport are singularly pre-occupied with identifying potential terrorists, suicide bombers or elements from the dreaded al Shabaab militia.

We were subjected to a thorough body search by a combined force of mean looking Somalia security officials and the more friendly African Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) soldiers stationed at the airport.

We were required to remove our shoes and belts before going through the metal detectors while our luggage was searched for any undesirable cargo.

My colleague William Oeri was taken aback after one Ugandan soldier carted away his still and video cameras to a secluded corner to search for any explosive devices.

Our passports were also closely scrutinised with the security officers looking particularly interested in the various destinations we had visited previously.

It may not be as busy as JKIA, but traffic at the Aden Abdulle International Airport is slowly picking up after years of inactivity brought about by two decades of civil war.

Besides the African Express and the Juba Airlines, the airport also receives dozens of light aircraft bringing in relief aid, khat (miraa) mainly from Wilson Airport Nairobi, food from the Middle East or aid workers operating in the war torn country.

Citing security authorities permit no taxis to operate at the airport; one has to walk to the main road to find means to the city unless one has made arrangements to be picked up.

The journey from Mogadishu to Nairobi takes slightly longer, because planes must be diverted to the Wajir Airstrip for thorough security check before being allowed to proceed to Nairobi.

The flight from Mogadishu to Wajir takes fifty minutes, while the security check consumes an hour.

The security check at the Wajir airstrip is conducted by the Kenya Police and Kenya Air Force. Here, passports are to ascertain authenticity.

One also looks through a minute camera.

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