Air India is set to resume direct flights between Mumbai and Nairobi on November 27. Initially, the direct flights were to begin on September 27 but were delayed by two months due to operational hitches.
Indian’s High Commissioner to Kenya Mr. Rahul Chabra in a statement said that Air India is scheduled to fly four times a week between Nairobi and Mumbai. The commencement of direct flights will cut travel time between 10 and 11 hours to six hours. Earlier, passengers had to spend hours in long layovers in Dubai/ Middle East. The maiden flight is scheduled to depart Mumbai for Nairobi at 6.25 am (local time) on Nov 27th.
The commencement of the direct flight is expected to give a fillip to India’s trade and co-operation with Kenya as well as the East African Region. Bilateral trade between India and Kenya is currently estimated at $2 billion annually. The sectors that may directly benefit from the direct flight include tourism, agriculture, health, and pharmaceuticals as well as education. It is significant that the flights are commencing from Nov 27, which is celebrated as ‘World Tourism Day’. Kenya’s Tourism data shows that India ranks among the top five markets for tourist international arrivals in Kenya. The number of visitors from India has doubled from 60,000 to 125,000 annually and it is expected that the direct flights will further boost the number. Bollywood is also showing interest in Kenya as a film shooting destination.
For a large number of Kenyans, India is one of the most popular destinations for medical treatment, with low travel fares and more affordable treatment options.
The Indian commission in Kenya said that plans are underway to link Kenya’s and Indian’s hospitals and institutions of higher learning through satellite connectivity to boost health care services. Almost 400 Kenyan students are supported by the Indian Government’s fully-funded scholarships yearly to study in various Indian institutions of higher learning.
