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A sneak peek of the new look JKIA terminal 1B and C – PHOTOS

By Hilary Kimuyu September 28th, 2022 2 min read

The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has shared photos of the new-look state-of-the-art Jomo Kenyatta International Airport’s (JKIA) terminals 1B and C.

The terminals have been closed since January 2021 for renovations and according to the authority the works are almost done, lauding the public for their patience.

“Thank you for being patient with us, we are almost there.”

They then shared a sneak peek of JKIA’s Terminals 1B and C that is ‘currently being refurbished”.

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Last year, KAA said that the renovations which were to take 12 months will cost Sh936 million aimed at enhancing security screening at JKIA.

The move saw airlines such as Lufthansa Airlines, Qatar Airways, Ethiopian airlines, RwandaAir, Air Mozambique, Air Arabia, Turkish Airlines and Egypt Air that were operating at Terminal 1C moved to Terminal 1A.

The refurbishing of the departure halls at the two terminals will improve the check-in activity and enhance the passenger lounge experience for the customers using the airport.

A sneak peak of JKIA’s Terminals 1B and C currently being refurbished. PHOTO: KAA

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The development will also ease passenger flow and increase efficiency due to the centralisation of security screening procedures and the reallocation of available floor spaces to international departure gates.

KAA has in recent years cancelled several projects including the construction of the Green Field terminal and the second runway.

Kenya’s delay in the expansion of JKIA comes at a time when regional countries are revamping their airport infrastructure as they position themselves to attract global airlines.

Expansion of Tanzania’s main airport is currently on course, a project likely to reduce Dar es Salaam’s reliance on Nairobi for transit flights by some of the European airlines.

Kigali in Rwanda and Bole Airport in Addis Ababa have also been undergoing a facelift as they seek to become major regional hubs.

JKIA is the sixth busiest airport in Africa.

Besides Kenya Airways, it handles airlines such as British Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, RwandAir, Emirates, South African Airways, and Turkish Airlines among others.

A sneak peak of JKIA’s Terminals 1B and C currently being refurbished. PHOTO: KAA

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Delayed completion of the departure terminals is taking a toll on airlines due to occasional congestion at the facility, which has seen passengers miss connecting flights.

The delays have seen several passengers with connecting flights in other airports miss their trips as they arrive late at their next point of departure.

Currently, departing international passengers who would previously use the affected terminals go to Terminal A, creating congestion at the facility given the high number of airlines that have now been combined at the gate.

The number of passengers using the facility had grown significantly as the aviation sector returns to normalcy after the disruption caused by the Covid-19 menace in 2020.

An increase in traffic at the airport means that it is taking longer to process passengers before they get to board.

JKIA remains a major regional hub where transit passengers use the facility to connect flights to either the US, Britain or the Middle East.

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