Kenya Airways starts repatriation flights amid Middle East crisis
A Kenya Airways Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft.
Kenya Airways will repatriate citizens of Kenya and the UAE on March 4 and 5, 2026, offering customers stuck in the respective countries relief amid the Middle East crisis.
The carrier said the move follows approval of slots by Dubai International Airport.
"These are not regular flights, rather repatriation flights for customers who are citizens or have residency in the UAE to be able to travel out of Nairobi and vice versa," the statement said.
Kenya Airways has advised affected travellers to check their flight status on its website and update their contact details via the 'Manage booking' portal, in order to ensure direct communication.
The announcement comes as many flights from the region have been cancelled or suspended since the US and Israel began launching attacks on Iran on Saturday.
The disruption followed US President Donald Trump's announcement confirming the commencement of military strikes on Iran, following the breakdown of nuclear negotiations in Geneva.
Smoke rises following an explosion, after Israel and the US launched strikes on Iran, amid the US-Israel conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 2, 2026.
In response, Iran fired missiles and drones at Middle Eastern nations that are allies of the US.
Kenyans living and working in Middle East countries have expressed their anxiety as the war in the region rages on.
Those who spoke to Nation said they are currently not working and have been advised to remain at home. They felt trapped as they could not fly back home since much of the airspace in the Middle East and Gulf region was closed and flights grounded.
Follow our WhatsApp channel for breaking news updates and more stories like this.
