Kenya Airways to suspend Kinshasa flights over detained employees

Kenya Airways said it would suspend flights to the Democratic Republic of Congo's capital Kinshasa from Tuesday, after military authorities there failed to release its employees from detention despite a court order. Congo's military intelligence detained two of the airline's staff on April 19 for allegedly failing to complete customs documentation on some valuable cargo, even though the company had refused to accept the cargo because of incomplete paperwork.

Kenya Airways said it would suspend flights to the Democratic Republic of Congo's capital Kinshasa from Tuesday, after military authorities there failed to release its employees from detention despite a court order.

Congo's military intelligence detained two of the airline's staff on April 19 for allegedly failing to complete customs documentation on some valuable cargo, even though the company had refused to accept the cargo because of incomplete paperwork. The staff remain in detention, in spite of a military court saying they should be released to allow due process, Kenya Airways said.

"The continued detention of our employees has made it difficult for us to supervise our operations in Kinshasa," Kenya's national carrier said in a statement on Monday. As a result, it said, it had decided to suspend flights from Tuesday "until we can effectively support these flights".

Spokespeople for Congo's government and foreign affairs ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. Kenya Airways said it was cooperating with investigating agencies and government entities in Congo and Kenya to ensure the matter was resolved.

The airline has said previously that when its staff were detained, it had not taken possession of the cargo because the logistics handler was processing documentation. It has said that its detained staff are innocent and that it considers the episode harassment targeting its business.

Congolese authorities have not responded to those comments.

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