The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), a certification and regulatory body that covers airlines that operate in Europe, has revoked a licence it had granted Kenya Airways (KQ) to maintain UK-registered aircraft after it failed a compliance audit.
The national carrier said the agency withdrew the licence because, during the certification audit, the agency requested that KQ separates some of its general stores and have a temperature control device in compliance with European standards.
“As you may know we are in the tropics and our manuals do not require us to have temperature controls such as those in Europe where there are extremes. We are, however, working on compliance.” KQ director for technical Gilbert Bett as quoted by the Business Daily.
Kenya Airways had applied for the EASA certification (EASA Part 145 requirements for a Part 145 Maintenance) as part of strategic growth for maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) as well as the prospect to service and maintain European registered aircraft.
Despite the ban, the carrier said it has not lost revenue as it did not have any aircraft under maintenance that requires EASA certification.
“There is no revenue loss as there is no aircraft under maintenance that requires EASA certification. We do not have any European-registered aircraft under maintenance,” Gilbert Bett.
The carrier has been diversifying into new revenue streams to shore up its earnings, which stood at Sh70.22 billion in the year ended December, partly lifted by alternative sources such as air charter services.
Read also; KQ Introduces Cashless System at Mombasa and Kisumu Airport.
