It is understood the flight was supposed to bring stranded UK nationals home.
A British Airways flight has had to return to London Heathrow after reportedly being denied access to Kenyan airspace.
Flight BA65 left Heathrow Airport airport at around 10.10am on Friday morning (March 27) and was due to land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi at 9.50pm local time.
But it has been reported that Kenyan officials denied the airline access to Kenyan airspace, meaning the plane had to turn back over Germany.
The pilot reportedly told Air Traffic Control: “We had a message the Kenyan authorities have denied us access to their airspace.”
It is believed the aircraft was due to bring back British nationals in Kenya to the United Kingdom.
On Tuesday, March 24 the Financial Times reported that the government were “racing to put on extra flights to evacuate stranded holidaymakers in Kenya,” after the “east African hub seek to contain the spread of coronavirus.”
In the local Kenyan publication, The Star, the High Commissioner to Kenya, Jane Marriott reportedly warned that the flights were only outbound.
“I should stress that these are outbound (Nairobi to London) only.
“No one will be allowed to enter Kenya, so the London-Nairobi leg will be empty. What I now know is called a ‘ghost flight’” she said.
The flight is due to be operating back to Nairobi later today.
A spokesperson for British Airways said: “We are doing everything we can to bring customers home, including critical workers.”
The spokesman would not confirm or deny the reason for the plane turning back.
On Monday, March 23 the Foreign Office advised all British tourists and short-stay travellers currently abroad to return to the UK where commercial flight options are still available.
MyLondon has contacted the Foreign Office for comment.
A spokesperson for British Airways said: “We are doing everything we can to bring customers home, including critical workers.”
The spokesman would not confirm or deny the reason for the plane turning back.
On Monday, March 23 the Foreign Office advised all British tourists and short-stay travellers currently abroad to return to the UK where commercial flight options are still available.
MyLondon has contacted the Foreign Office for comment.
Source: MyLondon
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