Did you have plans to travel upcountry for Easter or to greet your relatives?

Well, there is a change of plans as Health CS Mutahi Kagwe has banned upcountry travel to curb the spread of Covid-19.

“Those who planned to travel for Easter… don’t. Even when you are in Nairobi, unless there is something that you are doing, stay at home. It is important for us to start training ourselves to do so,” he said.

Kagwe spoke on Thursday during the daily briefing on Covid-19.

The CS also announced 29 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the the total past the 100 mark to 110 patients.

Out of the new Covid-19 cases, 28 are Kenyans, while one is Congolese.

In the last 24 hours, the government tested 662 samples, out of which the 29 people tested positive.

 Kagwe said mass testing for the 2,050 quarantined individuals is ongoing.

The CS also announced the death of two more Covid-19 patients.

This brings the total number of deaths to three.

 The first patient to die last Thursday was a businessman. Morris Namiinda, 66, had a pre-existing condition – diabetes.

One of the new deaths reported on Thursday was of a Kenya Ports Authority employee.

The woman, 58, was buried at Mbaraki Cemetery on Thursday.

CS Kagwe on Thursday banned travel upcountry to contain spread of the disease.

Source: https://www.the-star.co.ke/covid-19/2020-04-02-upcountry-travel-banned-in-new-measures-to-curb-covid-19-spread/

Domestic air travel operators are seeking a Sh3billion government bailout to cushion the carriers from reduced bookings in the wake of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
The operators have been recording a drop in revenues after the State banned the entry of travellers from coronavirus-hit countries, closed schools indefinitely and encouraged working from home, a move which has seen few passengers book flights.
Kenya Association of Air Operators (KAAO) executive secretary Eutychus Waithaka Tuesday said they had sent a request for the bailout through the Ministry of Transport.
The associations represents the interest of all licensed commercial air operators such Fly 540, Safarilink, East African Safari Air Express (formerly Fly-SAX), Jetways among others.
They are seeking the funds to settle staff salaries as well as navigation and landing charges at airports.
“We have formally sent a memorandum to the state through the Ministry of Transport requesting that they set a side Sh3billion to help keep domestic airlines in the country stay afloat during this difficult moment,” said Mr Waithaka in a phone interview with the Business Daily yesterday.
“It is the State which will decide the form in which the money will come. It could be in form of tax concessions or release from banks,” he said.
Mr Waithaka clarified that the Sh3 billion is not a grant or a loan but a “relief fund” to help cushion the sector from collapsing during this difficult time.
Apart from the Sh3 billion relief fund, KAAO also wants the government to reduce air passenger service charges, a move that will encourage more travelers to continue booking tickets.
They also want the State to partner with development financial institutions such as the World Bank to reduce the burden of debt to help stabilise the aviation industry before normal operations resume.
The association further noted that they were in talks with the Labour Ministry to look at a possibility of workers in the sector taking pay cuts rather than sending them home.
“We are sending them on leave. We are trying hard not to knock them off,” he said.
Kenya has so far confirmed 59 cases of the Covid-19 and its critical tourism and farm export businesses have been feeling the pinch from the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
The State has imposed restrictions, including cancellation all flights save for cargo planes, ordered shutdown of bars and nightclubs, restaurants to operate as takeaway units, and put a freeze to church services and weddings and capped funeral gatherings to 15 people.
Domestic carriers in the country are among the hardest hit industry amid the coronavirus outbreak, a move which has seen operators such as Jambojet combine some of its flights to western Kenya.
Source: https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/corporate/companies/Local-airlines-seek-Sh3bn-bailout-as-coronavirus-bites/4003102-5510096-w4fk17/index.html

What happens if you or a relative is stranded abroad scrambling to return home after countries closed their borders? Millions of people who had travelled for work, tourism, business or to study are marooned in different countries amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Gladys Mogaka, a Kenyan-American immigration and corporate law attorney licensed to practice law in New York and in Kenya spoke to BDLife on what to do if trapped abroad.

If flights have been cancelled, borders closed, what should a Kenyan who is stranded in the US do?

Such a person should apply for a visa extension. USCIS provides special support for individuals who may be affected by natural or extreme circumstances. Covid-19 being a global pandemic, USCIS will take into consideration how it affected your departure and will definitely allow one to either extend or change their status.

How much will it cost to extend the visa and what is the procedure of extension?

The filing fee for change of status or extension is $370 (Sh37,000). Do you need to involve an immigration lawyer? Yes you do. I will always recommend getting a professional especially when it is at the discretion of the immigration officer to provide a benefit. This is not just a simple form that needs to be filled. You need to provide a legal argument to prove how the special circumstances prevented your departure. This may vary since visa categories vary, and you want to know how the extension or change of status might affect your future applications.

Is there any legal challenges if someone does not seek an extension of the visa?

Overstaying your visa can lead to accruing unlawful presence. If you leave the country, depending on how long one overstays, you will be banned from returning to the US. You are also susceptible to deportation when caught.

Can visitors get sponsors like family members to apply for the new visa if he or she is still in the country?

Yes. Visitors who came in for the sole purpose of visiting and have immediate relatives (father, mother, spouse, child) may change their status even though their initial visit was meant to be temporary.

Can someone who has not changed their status on the expiry of their visa be subjected to fines?

No.

What if the person is in Kenya on a green card that is about to expire?

They should apply for an SB-1 returning resident visa and argue Covid-19 as a reason for not returning to the US on time. They must prove how it was beyond their control with evidence.

Source: https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/lifestyle/travel/If-stranded-abroad-amid-borders-closure/3815716-5512430-qr7pll/index.html

The Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA) has called upon the International Air Travel Association (IATA) to act urgently in compelling the IATA accredited airlines to fast-track refunds processing for the customers who booked flights through travel agents during the Covid-19 crisis period.

KATA Chief Executive Officer Ms. Agnes Mucuha stated through a brief update on the ongoing devastating impact of the Coronavirus on the travel industry in Kenya, that airlines are taking a longer time to process refunds owed to customers of travel agents, and this has created unnecessary anxiety and distress.

“The travel industry grounded to a halt in March 2020 following the government directive suspending all international flights into Kenya. Consequently, passengers who were holding bookings with airlines through their travel agents opted to cancel their itineraries and sought for full refunds.” She said.

“Several airlines have been responding to the refund requests by issuing vouchers under the name of the booked passenger, instead of issuing a “cash” refund through the travel agent. This has caused conflict for the agents, as customers are demanding for full refunds in “cash” claiming that they have no immediate travel plans in the foreseeable future. Similarly, the travel agents cannot assign this voucher on other bookings owing to the issuing restrictions. This has also led to a bad stalemate between the customers and travel agents owing to the inflexibility demonstrated by the airlines issuing the refund vouchers”, the CEO noted.

Ms. Mucuha further reported that “In our engagement with IATA, they have sighted that airlines are facing an unprecedented high volume of global refunds requests, and this has been the the main cause for the processing delays. IATA emphasized that the refunds shall be guided by the airline’s commercial policy guideline while determining the “valid” refund value on the tickets. On the other hand, customers are also facing cash constraints under the current Covid-19 pandemic and they cannot afford further delay.”

She further pointed out that the Travel Industry has grounded to a complete halt, and most travel agents have temporarily closed shop as they don’t have any travel related business to conduct during this time. Unfortunately, their debtors have also deferred payments sighting Covid-19 for the delays. This is exacerbating the situation, and the outlook is very bleak for travel agents and their customers. In Kenya, we have over 1000 registered travel agents distributed countrywide, a majority of whom are SMEs and MMEs with over 300,000 employees.

Travel agents submit refund applications through the airline booking portals or in this case through the IATA regulated portal, and upon assessment of the “valid” refund request, the airline authorizes the “valid” refund through the same portal and remits it to the travel agent. In turn, the agent processes the refund back to their customers, which is in line with the IATA policy guidelines.

Other notable findings in the refunds delay include:

• A majority of Airlines are seeking for government bail outs and relief owing to the negative cashflow impact caused by Covid-19.
• Airlines are opting to issue vouchers instead of “cash” in order to preserve their already constrained cashflow position.
• Kenya has over fifteen international airlines who were on scheduled operations into Nairobi and/ or Mombasa.

The Kenya Association of Travel Agents has pushed for immediate intervention saying that it is imperative that the IATA steps in to provide immediate solutions for the industry.

“There are countless stories of travel businesses working hard to serve their customers transparently and professionally. The truth is that travel agents are not withholding refunds owed to their customers, and they are pursuing the refunds aggressively from the airlines and with the help of the Kenya Association of Travel Agents association.” Ms. Mucuha emphasized.

Travelers can visit the Coronavirus Updates page on the KATA website on https://katakenya.org/corona-virus-updates/ for more information

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) has called upon all governments to take immediate action in ensuring the survival of the sector.

WTTC President and Chief Executive Ms. Gloria Guevara emphasised on the need for the governments to act immediately stating that any further delay will lead to loss of millions of jobs and an incalculable damage globally.

She pointed out to three crucial measures that governments should adopt, in addition to the recovery of funds, which will protect the survival of millions of people who heavily rely on the sector for their livelihood.

“First, financial help must be granted to protect the incomes of the millions of workers in the sector facing severe economic difficulties. Secondly, governments must extend vital, unlimited interest-free loans to global Travel & Tourism companies as well as the millions of small and medium sized businesses as a stimulus to prevent them from collapse. Thirdly, all government taxes, dues and financial demands on the travel sector need to be waived with immediate effect at least for the next 12 months,” Ms Guevara said.

She urged governments to take drastic and decisive action in order to protect and preserve the contribution of the sector to the world.

“No one can doubt that we are in uncharted territory. The coronavirus pandemic means the world is facing a threat on multiple fronts not seen in peacetime. The Travel & Tourism sector is uniquely exposed, and we estimate 50 million jobs globally are at risk. To put it bluntly, Travel & Tourism is in a fight for survival,” Ms. Guevara further said.

She averred that, “travel is the backbone of economies around the world. It brings in essential currency and inward investment, creates jobs and stimulates every sector. WTTC figures show Travel & Tourism contributes to 10.4% of Global GDP and 320 million jobs. It is responsible of creating one in five new jobs and, for eight successive years, has outpaced the growth of the global economy”.

WTTC sentiments were echoed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) who held a virtual teleconference on Friday to discuss COVID-19.

They concurred that calls would need to be made urgently to governments to take immediate actions, including through financial aid packages and incentives, to help the aviation and tourism sectors withstand current COVID-19 risks and impacts.

According to WHO, the pandemic is accelerating. There has been over 424, 000 reported cases as at March 25, 18, 947 deaths and 109, 145 recoveries.

Kenya’s national carrier on midnight Thursday 25^th March, 2020 suspended all international flights following a government directive on the Coronavirus pandemic. However, cargo flights remain operational to provide supplies and emergency services.

President Uhuru Kenyatta issued the directive on 22^nd March, 2020 following a rise in cases of COVID-19 infections in the country.

“We have been forced to reduce our network by over 70% and it had become increasingly difficult to continue offering international passenger services. Today March 22, 2020 the Government of Kenya has issued a directive that requires all incoming and outgoing international passenger traffic to and from Kenya to cease from midnight on 25th March 2020,” Kenya Airways (KQ) Chief Executive Officer Mr. Allan Kilavuka said in a statement.

He added, “We will continue to operate cargo flights particularly so that we are available to offer emergency services or much needed supplies. In the meantime, our domestic flights to Mombasa and Kisumu remain operational”.

KQ further informed the public of their revised policy on zero change fee and cancellation where travellers will get a waiver on change fees on all fares excluding for domestic travel.

The airline stated that the waiver applies to All fare types, including groups and conferences, All Kenya Airways destinations excluding domestic locations, all points-of-sale and all travel up to 30th June 2020. The tickets changes and refunds should be completed by April 31, 2020.

As at 26^th March, 2020, 31 positive cases have been reported. The cases are spread out in Nairobi, Kajiado, Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale.

Businesses have received a boost during this COVID-19 period after the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) released Kes. 35.2 billion as additional liquidity availed to banks to directly support borrowers distressed by the pandemic.

Furthermore, CBK lowered the Central Bank Rate (CBR) to 7.25 percent from 8.25 and reduced the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) to 4.25 percent from 5.25 percent.

CBK Governor Dr. Patrick Njoroge, who is also the Chairman of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) said that they will ensure that the interbank market and liquidity management across the sector continue to function smoothly.

“The MPC will closely monitor the impact of this change to its policy stance, as well as developments in the global and domestic economy, and stands ready to take additional measures as necessary. In this regard, the Committee decided to reconvene within a month for an early assessment of the impact of these measures and the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic.” He said.

The Coronavirus which broke out in December 2019 has so far caused global devastation to countries through loss of life and tremendous negative impact socially and economically.

Although the pandemic’s impact on the country’s economy is still evolving, he said, all signs show that it could be severe.

He further stated that the committee’s main focus is to minimise the economic and financial impact brought by the pandemic.

The committee noted that, “as a result of the pandemic, economic growth is expected to decline significantly in 2020, from a baseline estimate of 6.2 percent to possibly 3.4 percent, arising from reduced demand by Kenya’s main trading partners, disruptions of supply chains and domestic production. The fundamental concerns and anxieties centre on the health impact, job losses, and duration of the crisis. The ongoing interventions by the Government are aimed at containing the pandemic and moderating the economic and social impact.”

“The MPC Private Sector Market Perception Survey conducted in early March 2020

indicated that inflation expectations remained well anchored, mainly due to expected lower food and energy prices. However, respondents revised downwards their optimism on economic prospects, due to COVID-19 concerns. Nevertheless, they expressed a favourable outlook about the renewed focus on MSMEs and agriculture, payments of pending bills by the government, the decline in international oil prices, benefits from infrastructure investments, and improved lending to the private sector, “the committee stated.

The CBK governor also pointed out that global growth is highly uncertain but expected to weaken significantly in 2020, mainly due to the adverse direct and indirect impact of COVID-19 across the world. Trade flows have been significantly disrupted, while the continued volatility in international financial markets will worsen the outlook. In a shift of stance, central banks in the major advanced economies are implementing accommodative monetary policy to stabilise the financial markets and support economic growth.

The IATA said its latest analysis showed that annual passenger revenues will fall by USD 252 billion if severe travel restrictions remain in place for three months.

The coronavirus pandemic could spell “apocalypse” in the airline industry without urgent government aid, the global aviation association said Tuesday, warning that carriers could lose more than USD 250 billion in revenues this year alone.

The International Air Transport Association said its latest analysis showed that annual passenger revenues will fall by USD 252 billion if severe travel restrictions remain in place for three months.

That would mark a 44% drop compared to 2019 revenues, and is more than double the USD 113 billion drop previously predicted by IATA before countries around the world began introducing sweeping travel restrictions.

“It is the deepest crisis we ever had in our industry,” IATA chief Alexandre de Juniac told reporters in a virtual briefing, calling on governments to quickly step up and provide desperately needed liquidity.

“Airlines are fighting for survival in every corner of the world,” he said in a statement, pointing out that “travel restrictions and evaporating demand mean that, aside from cargo, there is almost no passenger business.”

“For airlines, it’s apocalypse now. And there is a small and shrinking window for governments to provide a lifeline of financial support to prevent a liquidity crisis from shuttering the industry.”

IATA has not been shy about sounding the alarm in the crisis, and last week warned that up to USD 200 billion would be needed to rescue the world’s airlines.

On Tuesday it said that while some governments were stepping up, it was still far from enough to cover the needs.

“We need money,” Juniac told reporters.

He stressed that IATA fully supported government measures to slow the spread of COVID-19, which has now infected nearly 400,000 people worldwide and killed close to 17,000, according to an AFP tally based on official data.

“But we need them to understand that without urgent relief, many airlines will not be around to lead the recovery stage,” he said.

He pointed out that some 2.7 million airline jobs were at risk, with 24 times that number of jobs on the line down the travel and tourism value chain. (AFP)

Source: https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/airline-industry-headed-apocalypse-without-aid-global-aviation-body-iata-121083