Kenya Airways Reveals Why Nairobi-Kisumu Flight Turned Back Mid-Air
The flight’s estimated departure time was 8:35 am, but it actually left Nairobi at 8:42 a.m., according to spot checks via FlightRadar24.
Marvin Chege 
National airline Kenya Airways (KQ) has revealed why one of its flights bound for Kisumu from Nairobi had to turn back mid-air. KQ654 flight was earlier scheduled to fly from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi to Kisumu International Airport in Kisumu on March 25, 2025.
The flight’s estimated departure time was 8:35 am, but it actually left Nairobi at 8:42 a.m., according to spot checks via FlightRadar24.
The aircraft was expected to arrive in Kisumu at approximately 9:25 am. Data from the live flight tracking platform had shown that the plane made multiple loops and turns over Ngong Hills, Kiserian, and Ongata Rongai before being routed back to Nairobi instead of proceeding to its destination.
Records indicated that the flight has been operating on this route since March 19 without any reported technical issues.
Kisumu International Airport. /FILE
Reports had earlier claimed that the aircraft suffered a right engine failure mid-flight. However, the pilot managed the situation expertly, ensuring a safe landing at JKIA. All passengers disembarked safely, and arrangements were made to rebook them on an alternative flight.
As of the time of publication, neither Kenya Airways nor the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) had issued an official statement regarding the incident. However, Viral Tea reached out to Henry Okatch, KQ's Head of Corporate Communications, who revealed that the incident was a result of a bird strike.
Explainer: Bird Strikes
A bird strike is defined as a collision between a bird and an aircraft that is in flight or during a takeoff or landing roll. Bird strikes can damage aircraft engines, sometimes severely. When a bird or flock of birds gets sucked into a jet engine, the impact can cause:
-
Compressor Blade Damage: The bird's body can bend, break, or deform the rotating fan blades inside the engine, reducing efficiency or causing failure.
-
Engine Flameout: A large bird or multiple birds can disrupt the airflow, leading to an engine stall or complete shutdown.
-
Fires or Explosions: In extreme cases, bird strikes can damage fuel lines or cause overheating, potentially leading to fires.
-
Cracked Windshields & Structural Damage: Although rare, bird strikes can shatter cockpit windows or damage the fuselage.
Prevention Measures
-
Airport Bird Control: Airports use bird deterrent systems, including sound cannons, trained falcons, and habitat modifications.
-
Engine Design & Testing: Modern jet engines are tested to withstand small bird impacts, but large birds remain a risk.
While commercial aircraft are designed to survive single-bird impacts, multiple bird strikes, especially involving large birds, can be catastrophic for an engine, a critical component in terms of the normal operations of an aircraft.
KQ's case is not a new one. In 2024, KQ 670 flight en route to Kisumu encountered a bird strike at around 6:36 pm. All crew and passengers disembarked safely, but the aircraft was unable to exit the runway after the bird strike damaged its steering components.
For 2024 alone, the airline reported losses of USD 3,646,405 (KSh 472.3 million) due to bird strikes, based on the current exchange rate of 1 USD = KSh 129.53. This amount is nearly equivalent to Kenya Airways' Ksh513 million profit for the first half of 2024, underscoring the significant financial burden of operating an airline.
In 2023, KQ suffered losses of USD 9,017,251 (KSh 1.16 billion) from bird strikes. The previous years also saw substantial financial impacts:
-
2022: USD 6,135,235 (Ksh794.7 million)
-
2021: USD 6,373,202 (Ksh825.5 million)
-
2020: The worst year, with USD 46.3 million (Ksh6 billion) in damages.
-
2019: USD 3,224,349 (Ksh417.6 million).
The High Cost of Bird Strikes
Aviation experts note that after a bird strike, an aircraft may be grounded for a week or longer, depending on the extent of the damage. If a bird remains in contact with a jet engine, they can shatter multiple blades, leading to extensive repairs. The damage is further exacerbated by the high velocity at which aircraft operate.
-
A single blade in some jet engines can cost up to Ksh259 million.
-
Replacing a Dreamliner 787 engine from General Electric could cost over Ksh4 billion.
-
In cases of severe damage, airlines install spare engines to keep flights operational while repairs are conducted.
Beyond repair costs, bird strikes also cause flight delays, triggering ripple effects such as passenger rebookings, accommodation expenses, and operational disruptions.
The Global Impact & Mitigation Efforts
The global aviation industry has lost over Ksh544 billion due to bird strikes. While eliminating birds near airports would be the most effective solution, Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) prohibits such measures, considering them inhumane. Instead, the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) employs personnel to scare birds away from runways.
One of the biggest factors attracting birds near flight paths is the large dumpsites in Nairobi’s Embakasi area, which serve as feeding grounds. In Kisumu, the Kachok dumpsite posed a similar risk until it was transformed into a recreation park.
However, other waste disposal sites, swamps, and landfills continue to attract birds, increasing the hazard. Additionally, Lake Victoria, a major feeding area for birds, remains a threat to Kenya Airways flights landing at Kisumu International Airport due to its proximity.
