NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya Airways has confirmed that Flight KQ470 from Nairobi to Kigali turned back mid-morning on February 15 after encountering low visibility and deteriorating weather conditions during landing at Kigali International Airport.
In a customer update issued by Kenya Airways PLC (KQ), the airline said the aircraft attempted to land in Kigali but was unable to complete the approach safely.
“KQ 470, on a scheduled operation from Nairobi to Kigali, encountered low visibility and deteriorating weather during the normal approach to land at Kigali International Airport. After two unsuccessful attempts to land, the crew elected to return to Nairobi for the safety of the passengers and crew on board,” the statement read.
The flight departed Nairobi at approximately 9:10 a.m. East African Time (EAT) and landed safely back at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 10:39 a.m.
Once weather conditions in Kigali improved, the aircraft was cleared for departure at 12:07 p.m. and later landed safely in Kigali at 1:31 p.m. (EAT).
The airline noted that air turnbacks are standard aviation safety procedures when landing conditions fall below operational minimums. However, the diversion caused a delay for Flight KQ270 from Nairobi to Mauritius, originally scheduled to depart at 12:40 p.m., which was rescheduled to 4:40 p.m.
Kenya Airways said it contacted affected passengers and provided necessary assistance.
“We sincerely apologise to our guests for the inconvenience and assure our customers that their safety and that of our crew are our highest priorities,” the airline stated.
Low visibility, often caused by fog, heavy rainfall, or cloud cover, can reduce a pilot’s ability to maintain visual reference during landing. In such cases, crews follow strict international aviation safety protocols, including go-arounds or diversion to alternate airports.
The airline emphasised that the decision to return to Nairobi was precautionary and aligned with global safety standards, underscoring its commitment to passenger safety amid unpredictable weather conditions.
