Kenya decries E. Africa's high airline fares

NAIROBI, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Kenya on Thursday decried the East Africa Community (EAC)'s high airline fares that remain beyond the reach of ordinary citizens.

James Macharia, the Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, told a media briefing in Nairobi that the EAC economies depend on aviation as a vital means of transport for exports of perishables, high-value items and most of all passengers.

"Whereas it is recognized as the safest means of transport, the EAC region needs to review aviation operations in order to make it more affordable and accessible to the populace," Macharia said during the Fourth East African Community (EAC) Aviation Symposium whose theme is "Aviation Safety: A Collaborative Approach".

He said that by making airline fares cheaper, it will ensure that the benefits of aviation can be appreciated by all citizens.

He called on the trading bloc to eliminate all bottlenecks that impede free movement of people in the region for the benefit of airline passengers.

"This will enhance a common market completely transforming what used to be fragmented and protected national markets into one of the world's largest, liberal and integrated regional aviation markets," he added.

Macharia said the EAC will collectively benefit from the new opportunities presented through collaboration. Enditem