Kenya Civil Aviation has warned that licences of airlines that ignore cargo rules will be revoked. [Photo: kcaa.or.ke]The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCA) has warned airlines flying locally and to neighbouring countries their licenses will be canceled if they continue disregarding regulations relating to carriage of cargo.In a letter addressed to airlines dated December 18, 2017, the KCA director general, captain Macharia Kibe, said it was an offence for airlines to use passenger flights to carry cargo.Neither are they to use cargo planes for passengers without approval by KCA and manufacturer modifications.“It has been observed there has been disregard of the law and the regulations as regards the carriage of cargo by aircraft by Air Operator Certificate holders that provide freight services,” said part of the letter as quoted by the Star.KCA in its communication with air operators points out that the violation of carriage of cargo is the worst and most rampant offence and could threaten Kenya’s desire to have direct flights to and from the United States.The worst affected, the Star notes, are the airlines that ferry passengers and cargo, especially miraa, to Somalia and include Capital Airlines,Sskyward Aviation, Bluebird Aviation, Silverstone Airlines, Buffair Airlines, Rudufu Airlines and Bushair Services.The operators of the light aircrafts in some cases remove seats aircraft and ferry cargo, KCA states.According to the Civil Aviation Act ( 2013 ) and the Civil Aviation (Amendment) Act 2016 and various international regulations, operators are supposed to strictly adhere to safety guidelines for either passenger or cargo carriage.Breach of these regulations cannot only lead to the cancellation of the licences by the KCA, but could also lead to international air transport regulators like IATA banning Kenyan registered planes as it happened to Uganda four years ago.Unlike passenger planes, cargo aircraft have special configurations that secure the cargo on board. According to KCA regulations aircraft licenced to carry passengers are only allowed to load cargo in specific compartments but seven airlines operating both at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and at Wilson Airport have been disregarding this requirement.

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