Kenya Airways has described rumors on social media that said an unlicensed pilot flew for the airline for eight years as “fake news”.
On October 14, 2023, Kenya Airways posted a long statement on X (formally known as Twitter) denying the rumors and explained the rigorous systems in place that ensure pilots hold the credentials needed to fly.
According to Kenyan publication The Star, the claim was made on X during a discussion about a man who allegedly worked as a lawyer in Kenya without holding the correct licenses.
Contributing to the discussion a person wrote: “In 2021, a man was caught after flying Kenya Airways planes for 8 years without a license and with a fake KCSE cert.”
According to Kenya Airways the false claim began circulating on social media and the airline felt it was necessary to step in and quash the rumors.
“Our attention has been drawn to a news story circulating on online blogs and different social media platforms alleging that a Kenyan pilot flew for Kenya Airways for 8 years without a pilot’s license. The general public is advised to treat this as fake news as no such pilot has ever flown for Kenya Airways,” the carrier said in the statement.
The airline explained that all its pilots go through “very rigorous training, background and security checks” to ensure they are qualified to fly its planes.
It also said that “further due diligence is conducted” when vetting applicants and doucments provided by prospective employees are verified.
The carrier added: “Kenya Airways operates in a highly regulated environment with regular audits from a number of regulators across its network. All pilot’s licenses are issued and renewed annually by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) upon establishing the holder has met required knowledge and experiences.”