Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) acting MD Lucy Mbugua says the newly constructed parking garage will now be used as temporary international arrivals pending a more permanent solution.
“KAA has converted the Jomo Kenyatta Airport parking garage to international arrival terminal as a replacement of the tented facilities that we have been using previously,” said Mbugua.
She said that the tent setup which was put up after a fire destroyed the previous terminal will come down on Friday as the authority moves operations into the reopened buildings.
“The new set up will easily handle up to 9,000 passengers and is equipped with three luggage belts that will ensure that luggage handling is quicker and more efficient,” Mbugua added as she operated one of the new belts.
Speaking at a media tour of the airport, Mbugua said they are working with their development partners like the World Bank and the African Development Bank to construct a more permanent airport terminal.
“Plans are underway to bring in a new prefabricated airport terminal because we only plan to use the parking garage for the next four months and we are also accelerating work on Terminal 4 so that it is ready for use by the end of the year,” explained Mbugua.
KAA explained that after Terminal 4 is up and running, Unit 1, 2 and 3 will be reorganized and refurbished as planned before the fire.
The authority further confirmed that the burnt down terminal will be brought down and a new terminal constructed in its place.
Mbugua told Capital FM News that investigations into the fire are still underway and as soon as they are concluded they will be made public.
“The investigation results will be released by the relevant security agencies,” she stated adding that insurance assessment is still ongoing and the authority is working hand in hand with the insurer APA Insurance.
The CEO Kenya Airways Titus Naikuni congratulated KAA for the tremendous progress they have made.
“The temporary arrival unit is much better than even the old one and this goes to show that the authority has been working tirelessly and have incorporated creativity to come up with the idea,” said Naikuni.
