UK-Kenyan flights suspended
Flights to and from Kenya suspended until next Monday by FTO
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Thursday, 10, Jan 2008 08:55
The federation of tour operators (FTO) has suspended all scheduled departures to Kenya until Monday January 14th due to political unrest.
The east African country is gripped by violence after last month's disputed election, which saw president Mwai Kibaki's controversial re-election.
As many as 600 people are thought to have been killed in clashes throughout the nation, but which centre on protestors gathered in the capital, Nairobi.
A quarter of a million more are thought to have been displaced from the homes in and around the capital, with many staying in secured national air bases in the area.
In response, Ghanaian president John Kufuor, four former African presidents and a peace envoy from the United States are all in the country in the hope of brokering a political deal between president Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga to ease tensions.
The FTO today said its members had agreed to suspend all holidays and chartered flights and offer alternative destinations or refunds "following continuing advice from the foreign and commonwealth office".
"Customers currently in Kenya are being advised of the foreign office advice to travellers and are expected to return home on their planned departure dates," a statement from the FTO read.
The FTO also said the situation "is being reviewed regularly", adding that it would make a further announcement about flights to and from Kenya next Wednesday.