First flight from new JKIA terminal

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After almost four years of construction, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport’s newest terminal building has opened its doors to passengers. Terminal 1A processed its first commercial flight recently – a Kenya Airways flight to Johannesburg.

According to eTurboNews, the morning flight KQ 762 from Nairobi was checked in from the new terminal and passengers were able to experience the new glass, steel and marble building from the inside.

The new terminal has a single point security check, and offers passengers flying First and Business Class a dedicated access point into the terminal. Airside, KQ offers an improved lounge for its premium passengers and, when the terminal is fully operational, Economy Class passengers will be able to enjoy improved boarding gate spaces, duty free shopping, and a range of restaurants.

KQ passengers bound for South Africa boarded their Boeing B787 Dreamliner through an air bridge connecting the terminal to the plane – an improvement over being bussed to an aircraft parked on a distant apron.

Kenya Airways will operate up to four flights from the new terminal until all potential bottlenecks have been identified and ironed out. From August other carriers will progressively move to the new Terminal 1A, freeing up the other terminals for refurbishment.