Kenya Airways Flight To Dubai Forced To Return To JKIA After Tyre Debris Discovered On Runway

• A Kenya Airways plane bound for Dubai was forced to return to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport due to tyre debris on the runway
• The debris was sighted by air traffic control before it was identified as belonging to KQ flight 310, which was en route to Dubai
• KQ flight 310's crew followed safety procedures and successfully landed the plane back in Nairobi without incident

Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Nairobi - A Kenya Airways plane bound for Dubai has been forced to return to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

In a statement on Friday, December 15, the national carrier disclosed that traffic control at JKIA sighted tyre debris on the runway.

The company stated that upon further probe, they deduced that it belonged to KQ flight 310, which was heading to Dubai.

"Kenya Airways PLC (KQ) confirms that on 15 December 2023 at approximately 21:20 hours, JKIA Air Traffic Control encountered tyre debris during a regular runway inspection. Upon further inspection, it was established by the KQ operations team that the tyre debris was from KQ 310, which had departed on a scheduled operation from Nairobi to Dubai," read the statement in part.

KQ contacted the crew on the plane, and they followed safety procedures to ensure the aeroplane was safely back in Nairobi.

"The KQ operations team contacted the crew and agreed on a precautionary air turnback to Nairobi for further technical attention. The crew followed the precautionary safety procedures in consultation with operations control and returned to Nairobi safely, landing at 23:46 hours without incident," continued the statement.

What happened to passengers on the flight

Kenya Airways' communications team revealed that the company had made arrangements to accommodate their customers, adding that the turnback was a normal procedure.

"The passengers have been provided with accommodation as arrangements are made to rebook them on the next available flight. Air turnbacks are standard safety procedures in aviation," said KQ.

KQ reiterated that they were sorry for the inconvenience caused, maintaining that the safety of their passengers comes first.

"We sincerely apologize to our guests for the inconvenience and assure our customers that their safety and that of our crew is our highest priority," concluded the national carrier.

Kenya Airways announces possible disruptions

Earlier, Kenyan Airways alerted passengers planning holiday travel of possible flight interruptions for an estimated two-week period.

The announcement, by KQ Managing Director and CEO Allan Kilavuka, cited challenges in acquiring aircraft spare parts as the reason behind the disruptions in flight schedules and the potential grounding of some Kenya Airways planes.

KQ expressed regret for inconveniences that may arise from the disruptions, reiterating its dedication to restoring normalcy as soon as possible.