Customs and the Police at the JKIA Murkomen said that a service charter that will bring all agencies, (immigration, customs, police, port health, the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service, KEPHIS, and other service providers under the leadership of the Kenya Airports Authority, KAA) operating at the airport to provide seamless service to passengers under a one-stop shop would be signed by the end of this month.

To end the current practice of passengers alighting at the main gate, Murkomen announced that the government shall deploy technology to improve screening at the entrance of the airport Passenger Screening Yard (PSY).

To facilitate faster self-check-in and enhance airport entry and exit, service booths will be increased and faster technology deployed by the company providing parking services.

Murkomen further added that Airlines will be required to upgrade their ticket printing to avoid long queues.

To enhance efficiency and security, the government will deploy an Advance Passenger Information (APS) system to provide prior information of passengers.

Murkomen further said that passenger facilitation services will be streamlined to avoid access to the airport by unauthorized persons with KAA being tasked to establish a passenger facilitation unit to reduce the number of persons entering the airport in the name of facilitating VIPs. For this reason, he announced that all access cards shall be withdrawn and screened afresh.

To ensure professionalism, all staff at the airport – customs, immigration, port health and the police – will be trained on customer service.

Murkomen went further to reveal that he was in consultations with his Interior counterpart, professor Kindiki on creating a standalone port of entry police unit complete with its own code.

Hand luggage scanners will also be increased to make the scanning process faster, the CS pronouncing that any suspicious luggage shall be tagged, opened and subjected to further examination.

KAA was directed to provide canopies at the airport to shield passengers from the rain and work with the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) to improve drainage.

The Government, CS Murkomen added, shall provide bigger and comfortable seating areas, free Wi-Fi and more charging ports at the JKIA at the airport while breastfeeding booths will be revamped and made more comfortable for lactating mothers.

The changes come just a few hours after passengers got stranded at the JKIA due to flooding caused by the ongoing heavy rains.