Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
08 August 2013 08:55
Police stand guard following a fire at the international arrivals unit of Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, Kenya (AP)
Kenya's main international airport has been forced to close its arrivals area following an early morning blaze.
All in-bound flights to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport have been re-routed and black smoke was seen to be spreading across much of Nairobi as fire teams tackled the inferno.
Passengers in the fire-damaged arrivals area were evacuated and left stranded outside the airport with their bags beside them following the incident at 5am on Wednesday.
Reports say the area where passengers pass through immigration and collect their luggage has been severely damaged.
No injuries have been reported and flights due to arrive at the busy airport have been diverted to Mombasa, Michael Kamau, the cabinet secretary for transport and infrastructure, said.
The incident reinforces the importance of comprehensive travel insurance for anyone planning a trip overseas.
The closure is to allow firefighters to get the blaze under control, Kenya Airports Authority said. No notice has been given on when it is thought the airport will reopen.
The cause of the fire is not yet known and Kenya's anti-terror police chief, Boniface Mwaniki, said a full inspection would be carried out once the blaze has been extinguished. Until then, no judgement or speculation will be made, he added.
A British passenger, Martyn Collbeck, said: "When I arrived there were one or two fire engines parked outside the international arrivals. It spread very fast.
"There were a couple of explosions which I think were a couple of gas canisters. I would have expected more fire engines to respond faster."
23 September 2016
Theresa May is being urged to give the go-ahead for flights to resume between the UK and Sharm el-Sheikh by the head of the cross-party parliamentary group on Egypt.
[more...]
22 September 2016
Budget airline Jet2.com is to open its first base in the south of England at Stansted.
21 September 2016
Smoking rates have dropped to the lowest level on record in England, new figures show, suggesting messages about the health effects of cigarettes are hitting home.
20 September 2016
Concerns have been raised over flight disruptions caused by heavy drinking among passengers.
17 September 2016
British Airways' decision to launch direct flights from London to Tehran earlier this month positions Iran as one of the hottest destinations to visit in 2017, according to experts.
16 September 2016
More than 100 flights have been cancelled as French air traffic controllers go on strike again.
15 September 2016
Two thirds of MPs would support an expansion at Heathrow.
14 September 2016
TripAdvisor is launching a new homepage, making the booking of holiday activities and tours even easier.
13 September 2016
Travellers are to be charged to use fast lanes to get through passport checks in an attempt to cut queues.
09 September 2016
People travelling to regions affected by the Zika virus outbreak should practise safe sex for at least half a year upon their return, health leaders say.
08 September 2016
British Airways is apologising to passengers for delays after an IT glitch hit check-in systems.
07 September 2016
Tiny particles that are breathed in and taken into the brain through air pollution could trigger Alzheimer's disease, research finds.