Skyward Express, , is a private airline operating in

Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

. It serves local destinations, from its two operations bases at

Wilson Airport Wilson Airport is an airport in Nairobi, Kenya. It has flights to many regional airports in Kenya while Nairobi's main airport, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, serves domestic and many international destinations. Location Wilson Airport ...

for passengers and

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Jomo Kenyatta International Airport , is an international airport in Nairobi, the capital of and largest city in Kenya. The other three important international airports in Kenya include the Kisumu International Airport, Moi International Airp ...

for cargo. Both airports are located in

Nairobi Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper ha ...

, the Kenyan capital city.

Location

The airline maintains its headquarters at Wilson Airport, within Nairobi, Kenya's largest city and the country's capital. Wilson Airport is located approximately , by road, southwest of the city centre. The airline maintains a private building at Wilson Airport, for the exclusive use of Skyward Express staff and clients. The building is "equipped with a modern cafeteria", among other amenities.

History

Skyward Express was established in 2013, by two pilots; one of whom serves as the chairman of the airline, while the other serves as its managing director. Skyward Express inherited some equipment and some routes from the defunct Skyward International Aviation.

Overview

With the cessation of service by Skyward International Aviation, the two licensed pilots, ''Mohamed Abdi'' and ''Issack Somow'' started Skyward Express and began commercial operations in 2013. Initially, he airline offered passenger charter and cargo service between Nairobi, Kenya and destinations in neighboring

Somalia Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...

. These services included the shipment of

miraa Khat or qat ( ''ch’at''; Oromo: ''Jimaa'', so, qaad, khaad, khat or chat, ar, القات ''al-qāt'') is a flowering plant native to eastern and southern Africa. Khat contains the alkaloid cathinone, a stimulant, which is said to cause e ...

from Nairobi to Somalia. With the acquisition of more aircraft, the airline has expanded and diversified its passenger and cargo service to include more destinations and frequencies to oil-rich northwestern Kenyan counties and the coastal tourist attractions.

Destinations

As of April 2021, Skyward Express scheduled services to the following destinations: *Kenya **

(Passenger Hub)

(Cargo Hub) **

Eldoret Eldoret is a principal town in the Rift Valley region of Kenya and serves as the capital of Uasin Gishu County. The town was referred to by white settlers as Farm 64, 64 and colloquially by locals as 'Sisibo'. As per the 2019 Kenya Population ...

Eldoret International Airport Eldoret Airport is an international airport in Kenya. Location Eldoret Airport, , is located in the city of Eldoret, in Uasin Gishu County, in the midwestern Kenya, close to the International border with Uganda. Its location is approximately ...

Lodwar Lodwar is the largest town in north-western Kenya, located west of Lake Turkana on the A1 road. Its main industries are basket weaving and tourism. The Loima Hills lie to its west. Lodwar is the capital of Turkana County. The town has a popul ...

Lodwar Airport Lodwar Airport is an airport in Kenya. Location Lodwar Airport is located in Turkana County, in the town of Lodwar, in the northwestern part of the Republic of Kenya. Its location is approximately , by air, northwest of Nairobi International Ai ...

Mombasa Mombasa ( ; ) is a coastal city in southeastern Kenya along the Indian Ocean. It was the first capital of the British East Africa, before Nairobi was elevated to capital city status. It now serves as the capital of Mombasa County. The town is ...

Moi International Airport Moi International Airport is an international airport in Mombasa, the second-largest city in Kenya. In 2020 the airport was heralded as the "Best Airport in Africa" (with under 2 million passengers annually) by Airports Council International. ...

Malindi Malindi is a town on Malindi Bay at the mouth of the Sabaki River, lying on the Indian Ocean coast of Kenya. It is 120 kilometres northeast of Mombasa. The population of Malindi was 119,859 as of the 2019 census. It is the largest urban centre ...

Malindi Airport Malindi Airport is an airport in Kenya. Location It is located west of the central business district of the town of Malindi, in Kilifi County, in southeastern Kenya, at the Indian Ocean coast. This is about , by road and about , by air, north ...

Lamu Lamu or Lamu Town is a small town on Lamu Island, which in turn is a part of the Lamu Archipelago in Kenya. Situated by road northeast of Mombasa that ends at Mokowe Jetty, from where the sea channel has to be crossed to reach Lamu Island. ...

: Lamu Airport **

Ukunda Ukunda is a coastal town in the southern part of Mombasa. It paves way into Diani Beach, a major tourist attraction. Location It is located in Kwale County, Coast Province, adjacent and to the immediate west of Diani Beach, along the Indian Ocea ...

Ukunda Airport Ukunda Airport is a small airfield near Diani Beach in Kwale County, Kenya. The airport serves the local areas of Diani, Tiwi and Msambweni. Services The airport started operating Air Kenya services to and from Nairobi's Wilson airport as o ...

Fleet

As of April 2021, Skyward Express maintained the following aircraft:

Accidents and incidents

* On July 21, 2021, a De Havilland Canada Dash 8-100 registered as 5Y-GRS crash-landed at

El Wak, Kenya El Wak, also Elwak is a town in Kenya, on the International border with Somalia. Location The town is located in Mandera County, in extreme northeastern Kenya, approximately , by road, northeast of Wajir, the nearest large town. El Wak, Kenya is ...

when its landing gear collapsed.

References

External links

Official Website
{{coord, 01, 19, 22, S, 36, 48, 27, E, display=title Airlines established in 2013 Airlines of Kenya Nairobi 2013 establishments in Kenya