A Kenya Airways flight from London to Nairobi was forced to perform a go-around at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on September 8, following a delay by another aircraft that did not take off as planned.
KQ101 was forced to abandon the approach at JKIA, in what the aviation regulator termed as a normal procedure that did not compromise the safety of passengers and crew.
Business Day Africa has established that the airline operating DH8D Flying JKIA to Bujumbura, which had been scheduled to take off and cleared by control tower, delayed on the taxiway due to undisclosed reasons, affecting the inbound traffic.
The control tower had to direct KQ pilots to go around until they were cleared for landing.
Kenya Civil Aviation dismissed information in social media that claimed there was a near disaster as Kenya Airways flight abandoned the approach even as it had started the descent to JKIA.
“The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority was alive to the situation involving Kenya Airways B787 Dreamliner aircraft flight number KQA101 from London Heathrow on 8th September 2023 while approaching to land at JKIA.
“The go-around by KQA101 was a normal procedure when the runway in use is not available for landing. At no time was the safety of the KQ aircraft and persons on board in jeopardy. The Authority endeavours to ensure the safety and security of the flying public, property, and operations remain paramount,” said KCAA in a statement.
Whereas the recent incident was a normal procedure in aviation, Kenya Airways has previously had to make a turn back to the airport of departure over a technical hitch.
On February 15, KQ flight 103 from London to Nairobi under Boeing 787-8 (5Y-KZH) suffered a technical hitch after taking off from London Heathrow and the pilot had to turn back to the airport of departure.
Less than a week earlier, the same aircraft B787-8 (5Y-KZH) operating as flight KQ310 to Dubai from Nairobi, diverted back to JKIA shortly after takeoff.