Air tickets from Nairobi to coastal towns have increased to highs of Sh24,000 one-way ahead of Easter festivities as some flights are sold out, marking one of the steepest rises in the last three years.
The high airfare charges are a result of high demand as people plan to troop to the Coast for the holiday.
Passengers travelling to Mombasa and Ukunda on Good Friday will pay Sh24,776 on Safarilink from as low as Sh8,200 they would have paid this week on some of the flights to the coastal towns.
The airline’s chief executive Alex Avedi said the destination is one of the leading tourist destinations in the country.
“The Kenya coast has always been booming ever since the Covid-19 pandemic. There is a lot of domestic travel which has continued post the pandemic and, as you know, there is a general recovery in the sector,” said Mr Avedi on Wednesday.
Airlines charge lower fares when they make early bookings compared to making their reservation at the last moment.
Airlines such as Skyward Express have recorded full bookings from March 31 to April 8 on the Nairobi-Malindi route.
The carrier is charging up to Sh18,200 on April 5 one-way to Diani from Wilson Airport in Nairobi.
Full Safarilink and Jambojet bookings mean other airlines will be the option for passengers travelling to the coast around Easter.
Jambojet is sold out on the eve of Good Friday as well as on Good Friday on routes such as Ukunda.
The carrier is, however, charging Sh17,700 one-way from Nairobi to Ukunda on April 8, up from around Sh9,200 when demand is low.
Source: Business Daily
