In a recent turn of events, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) has quelled the rising concerns surrounding an alleged near-collision involving a Kenya Airways flight en route from London to Nairobi, which purportedly occurred during its landing at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on September 8.
The initial alarm was sounded by Moina Spooner, a passenger on board flight KQ101 from London, who took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share her account of the incident. Spooner claimed that the pilot had informed passengers about an abrupt maneuver necessitated by the presence of another aircraft on the runway. Supporting her narrative, data from the aircraft flight tracking company Flight Radar substantiated the story, indicating that flight KQ101 initiated a go-around maneuver at 5,375 feet, approximately 3,800 feet, before reaching the runway threshold.
Responding to these alarming claims, the KCAA issued a statement on Wednesday, categorizing the go-around as a standard operating procedure rather than an alarming incident. In their statement, the aviation authority reassured the public, asserting that the safety of the passengers and crew aboard the KQ flight was never compromised. According to KCAA, “The go-around by KQA101 was a standard procedure when the designated runway was unavailable for landing. At no point was the safety of the KQ aircraft and its occupants at risk.”
The KCAA’s prompt clarification dispels the initial fear and emphasizes the importance of understanding aviation procedures. While the incident may have raised eyebrows initially, it serves as a reminder that in the world of aviation, well-trained pilots and air traffic control professionals are always ready to prioritize passenger safety, even in routine procedures that may appear alarming to the untrained eye.
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