Wilson Airport has resumed daytime flights on its main runway 07 following nearly six months of closure for rehabilitation works. The reopening, effective Wednesday, July 29, 2026, marks a significant relief for airlines that had faced severe congestion during the runway's closure.
During the rehabilitation period, all flights were forced to operate on the secondary runway 14/32, leading to substantial delays and increased operational costs. Some carriers even shifted parts of their operations to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to manage the backlog.
Impact of the Closure
- Single runway operations caused long waiting times, with aircraft idling for up to 30 minutes before takeoff, increasing fuel consumption.
- Airlines experienced higher expenses due to additional ground handling and passenger transfers between Wilson and JKIA.
- Flight schedules became less predictable, affecting both domestic and regional routes.
Safarilink Aviation CEO Alex Avedi described the reopening as a "huge relief" but emphasized the need to restore runway lights to enable night operations. Currently, runway 07 operates between 6:30 am and 6:30 pm, limiting evening arrivals from destinations such as Kisumu, Mombasa, and Zanzibar.
Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) sources have indicated that full night operations on runway 07 will resume once lighting installations are completed, expected within the coming week. The rehabilitation project has also included upgrades to pavements and aprons, enhancing the airport's infrastructure.
With the reopening of runway 07, Wilson Airport returns to dual-runway operations, improving aircraft turnaround times and reducing congestion at one of East and Central Africa's busiest airports by aircraft movements.
