The main runway at Wilson Airport has been reopened for daytime flights after nearly a six-month closure for rehabilitation works, bringing major relief for airlines that had been hit by congestion during the period. The congestion forced some carriers to shift part of their operations to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
The airport manager, Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), has allowed airlines to resume operations on the main runway 07 from Wednesday, July 29, 2026, between 6.30am and 6.30pm after a lengthy closure since the end of January 2026.
Commercial flights predominantly land at Wilson Airport on runway 07 via the Bomas-Uhuru Gardens route. Runway 07 had, however, been shut temporarily to allow for upgrades, with airlines reverting to runway 14/32, which is approached through the Kibera-Nyayo Highrise route.
The re-opening of runway 07 means that Wilson Airport resumes dual-runway operations, ending a spell of congestion after all aircraft were forced to share a single runway for both take-offs and landings during the rehabilitation period.
Safarilink Aviation Chief Executive Officer Alex Avedi says there has been severe congestion since it was only one runway being used for take-off and for landing.
“Sometimes we would be waiting, running engines for like up to 30 minutes and, of course, you know how expensive fuel is. You can imagine having almost 10 aircraft running engines, all waiting for clearance to take off. It’s been a very costly affair,” he told Business Daily.
The reopening is expected to lower fuel consumption, improve aircraft turnaround times and restore more predictable flight schedules for airlines operating domestic and regional routes from Wilson, one of East and Central Africa’s busiest airports by aircraft movements. Running parallel operations at Wilson and JKIA increased operating expenses through additional ground handling, staffing and passenger transfers between the two airports.
Mr Avedi described the reopening as a relief for airlines but said more work is required before operations fully return to normal.
“This is a huge relief, but we also need the runway lights to be fixed as soon as possible so that it can also be used for night operations,” he said.
Sources at KAA told Business Daily that full operations are expected to resume on runway 07 by next week once the installation of lighting to aid night flights is completed.
“We are hoping it can be done as soon as possible. We have flights that come in from Kisumu, Mombasa and from the coast, including Zanzibar, which land after 6.30pm. Those cannot use that runway. They have to either go to JKIA or use the current runway, the one that we’ve been using as this rehabilitation was going on,” Mr Avedi said.
The reopening adds to KAA’s ongoing rehabilitation programme at Wilson Airport, which has included upgrades to pavements, aprons and the airport’s two runways.
The closure of Runway 07 had forced airlines to consolidate all departures and arrival onto Runway 14/32.
Earlier this year, Safarilink, Renegade Air, Airkenya Express and other domestic carriers adjusted their schedules to accommodate the works.
