World
Paul Muite's Family Seeks KSh 2.6 Million from Kenya Airways After Zanzibar Flight Ordeal
By Masolo Mabonga, Zipporah Weru
Lawyers for Senior Counsel Paul Muite have sent Kenya Airways a formal demand letter seeking reimbursement of more than KSh 2.6 million after a cancelled flight allegedly left the lawyer, his wife, two daughters and two grandchildren stranded at Zanzibar's airport for nearly eight hours. The letter, dated September 7, 2026, was filed by Maina Ngaruiya & Company Advocates. It accuses the national carrier of gross contractual violations arising from the delay, cancellation and mismanagement of Flight KQ491 on August 31.
The family had just finished an 11-day holiday in Zanzibar and were booked on KQ491, scheduled to depart for Nairobi at around 10:10am. Aware of ongoing industrial action by the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU), they checked the Kenya Airways website and mobile app between 5am and 6:30am, both of which showed the flight as "Scheduled" and "On Time."
The group arrived at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport at about 8:10am, checked in their luggage, received boarding passes, cleared immigration and moved to the departure lounge after airline staff verbally confirmed the flight was proceeding as planned. Around 10am, the airport's information board changed the flight's status to "delayed," but according to the lawyers, no explanation was given.
The family later learned that KQ490, the inbound aircraft from Nairobi meant to operate the return leg, had never left Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The advocates questioned why check-in had continued even though the aircraft was still grounded in Nairobi.
It was only at around 3:45pm that an employee of Zanzibar Airport, not a Kenya Airways representative, informed passengers that the flight had been cancelled. The demand letter states that passengers were told no accommodation or food vouchers would be provided and were instructed to collect their luggage and wait for an email from the airline.
"No meaningful explanation was provided as to the reason for the cancellation, whether or when any alternative travel arrangements would be made, or what assistance, if any, would be provided to the affected passengers," the letter reads.
The group, which included a three-year-old child, reportedly waited about seven and a half hours without being offered even drinking water.
With no alternative provided by the airline, the family arranged a private charter flight to Nairobi at a cost of USD 20,500, equivalent to KSh 2,655,660.20, plus an additional KSh 52,650 in related expenses. They had originally paid KSh 596,450 for their return tickets and are now seeking a 50 percent refund of KSh 298,225 for the unused portion.
The family's lawyers have given Kenya Airways seven days to accept liability, reimburse all claimed costs, pay general damages and provide a written explanation of how the cancellation was handled. They have also reserved the family's rights under the Montreal Convention, the Consumer Protection Act, the Civil Aviation Act and the contract of carriage.
"Take notice that unless Kenya Airways satisfactorily resolves this matter within seven (7) days, we have mandatory instructions to commence legal proceedings," the advocates stated in the letter.