KAA invites tenders for construction of the second runway at the JKIA

The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has invited firms to tender for the construction of the second runway at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. The project was first announced in 2013.The plan partially funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB), entails construction of a 4.8-km-long and 75-m-wide runway in line with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Category Two standards, including connecting taxiways, additional parking stands for aircraft, and an air rescue firefighting unit.

Last November, AfDB approved a US $160m loan for the project earlier estimated at US $365.5m; and according to KAA, the procurement of civil works will be carried out under open competitive bidding with post qualification of contractors.“The project will reduce mishaps on the path as it will nearly double the aircraft movement from 25 to 45 planes per hour. Moreover, the technology will enable operations in bad weather, thus avoiding diversion of aircraft,” said KAA Chief Executive Officer Jonny Andersen.

The existing single runway is operating at Category Flights Conditions level one (CAT-1) with a width of 45m and length of 4.1km.According to KAA, the planned upgrade will raise JKIA to world class standards, and see it handle new generation extra-wide-bodied planes such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing B747-800.