A mechanical delay in Johannesburg meant my connection between flights on Kenya Airways dropped from one hour to five minutes in Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO).
Quick Connection In Nairobi Airport – My Experience
My 737-800 experienced a mechanical problem, which delayed our departure from Johannesburg by over an hour. When we finally took off, we ended up making up almost no time and landing in Nairobi (NBO) close to the departure time for my connection to New York on Kenya Airways’ flagship 787-8 jet.
I thought the one-hour connection was pushing it to start with but saw the international-international “minimum connection time” (the shortest connection “legally” allowed between international flights) was 45 minutes at NBO.
Although that meant I likely would not have time to visit the lounge prior to my flight, it gave me several additional hours in Johannesburg, which was vital in order to attend the final day of meetings prior to my flight back.
Upon landing in Nairobi, we pulled up next to a Boeing Dreamliner. While I had no idea if that was my aircraft to New York or whether it was already too late, I sprinted off the aircraft and down the jetbridge.
I followed a sign for connecting flights, which led to a security screening checkpoint. Thankfully, the line was empty and within two minutes I was out the other side and bounding down the departure hall toward gate 19.
I made it and found, even though scheduled departure time had now passed, that not only was the plane still at the gate, but boarding had only recently begun (this despite the flight still showing “on time” on the departure board). The gate area was a chaotic mess.
At the gate, there was another security check, though I was waived around it (perhaps it is a random check).
I was dressed in slacks, a white shirt, and a coat, and an agent came up to me and immediately escorted me onboard after confirming I was traveling in business class (I mention my attire because I cannot think of why else I was singled out for attention).
I still faced a long line on the jetbridge, but comfortably made my connection despite landing in Nairobi at 11:30 pm with an international connection scheduled to depart 11:35 pm.
While I would not bank on your international connection always being delayed, the connection process itself was very quick. Had my flight been on time, I would have had plenty of time to visit the lounge during my layover.
CONCLUSION
Flight schedules often result in short layover times at Nairobi. As a general rule, I see no reason not to book such a short connection. Even if your flight is delayed, like mine, the general disorder of NBO likely means your connecting flight will depart late too.
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts about Kenya Airways’ NBO-JFK.
Usually, the long-haul flight will delay just to wait for connecting passengers, which happens frequently when it departs from its hub.
Blacks who embrace white supremacy culture are no longer Black.
People who negatively generalize an entire race are called racist by definition.
Bruh. You need to revise your definitions. He says that he mentions his clothing cuz he can’t imagine why he was singled out. Bruh, hahaha, we are not stupid.
As a black and hispanic man, I’ve faced the same situation as Matthew but at JFK before the pandemic. I was flying with EK in J but my connection to JFK was late and I got to the gate when economy was boarding. A gate agent came up to me and asked if I was in business, and then escorted me to the plane. I wore a polo shirt, a blazer, khakis, and loafers. Gate agents can usually tell who’s running late by seeing who looks out of breath trying to catch their plane by looking at who’s scanned their boarding pass in the system for J and F. The same thing also happened at NRT before my JL flight in F but my taxi to NRT was stuck in traffic.
Regardless of my experience of flying premium cabins, what you said is racist.
A short connection at NBO definitely wouldn’t be a good idea when arriving during the morning peak (must be about 5-6 flights from Europe getting in at roughly the same time). The security screening can take a lot longer than two minutes, and few destinations have multiple daily flights (maybe MBA and ADD). Should be fine later in the day though.
Reminds me of the flights we took to Nairobi from ord in 2018. KLM to AMS with thunderstorms all around ORD. We had to return to the gate but eventually took off leaving only 30mins to connect to our air Kenya flight (I had the choice of klm all the way to Nairobi but took air Kenya for something different). My wife and I sprinted to the gate but luckily it was delayed. We only had a week in Kenya so we didn’t want delays but in general I don’t mind a little IROPS 🙂
Love air Kenya btw
So basically you got lucky because 1) the security line was empty and 2) the flight was late to board and depart.
Glad to see the jet bridges are working again at NBO.
This happened to me in July 2010 in Zurich Switzerland, aboard Swiss Air, from Nairobi- Zurich,. Zurich-Vienna. It was like a movie in Zurich, running against time to catch the flight to Vienna. Luckily the security checks were done so fast.
News is not made when a dog bites a man it is made when a man bites a dog. While this is true, I think you must learn to give credit as much as you criticize.
Is it perhaps possible, that the authorities had been notified of a delayed flight and been given the names of a priority client that is potentially trouble with names that easily betrayed your looks?
Finally I find it odd that within a chaotic rushed 5 minutes in an airport not familiar to you all you seem to have notice was the chaos. Unless of course, that is exactly what you were looking for, don’t you think? Could this be a case of trouble begets trouble? But again I could be wrong right?!
My connection dropped from one hour to five minutes due to a mechanical problem on our 737-800 from JNB. I was hardly looking for drama. In fact, all I wanted was an early arrival so I could review the KQ lounge.
“Even if your flight is delayed, like mine, the general disorder of NBO likely means your connecting flight will depart late too”
This is what we call a sweeping statement. No evidence. Just a personal opinion from a five minute transition
Or maybe not. I have a client-based there and book her about 15 trips per year. Don’t assume…it goes for both of us.
You five minute “chaotic review” of NBO deserves a Review, though. Air travel connections worldwide are rarely without hitches.
Wow. I had a six hour layover in NBO to get to CapeTown from JFK. It wSted a whole day of my trip, not getting into Cape Town until almost 11 p.m. Kenyan airways needs a direct flight into Cap Town.
But it is direct, and nonstop too (other flights in Africa stop in various places along the way)! 6 hours sounds good – I did a full day of remote work during my layover from AMS to CPT!
I have flown with KQ for a number of years now and what I can point out is that they never leave a connecting passenger out in the dry unless there has been some major issue on the first flight. They have always tried to accommodate connecting passengers which is at the detriment of passengers who have already checked in. I hope KQ will revamp their fleet so that they don’t face further technical issues.
I’m getting in one soon enough, God help me
Really? What you came out with in that entire experience is “the general disorder of Nairobi”?