Bluebird Aviation’s private charter flights seem to be on a high demand.

This is evident following a slight rise in demand for the regional airline’s private charter flights since the outbreak of COVID-19.

The Covid-19 outbreak led to limited availability of commercial flights and health risks concerns.

According to Bluebird Aviation’s General Manager Captain Hussein Mohammed, while the usual private charterers have maintained their demand albeit at a reduced frequency, some airlines have witnessed additional demand for private charters from new clientele.

Through a press release sent to newsrooms, Captain Hussein Mohammed said travellers have been hesitant to utilize commercial flights , which has led to increased enquires .

“Whether its health risk concerns or just getting where you need to be, people and companies that have the means to fly privately, but had previously shunned it, are now looking at this alternative,” said Captain Mohammed.

Amid the rapid spread of the infectious disease and the declaration of a state of emergency in many countries, airlines have had to suspend passenger flights and cut schedules significantly, leaving most airlines with capacities below 50 per cent.

Regional airlines were also hit hard following president Uhuru Kenyatta’s directive to lock five counties .

The five counties that were termed as disease infected zones are Nairobi, Kiambu, Machakos, Kajiado and Nakuru.

The air charter aviation sub-sector has however, proven its ability to adjust in the past and in the current situation and supports the fight against Covid-19 with what it does best: transporting people and goods to where they are needed.

Captain Mohamed also noted that the Charter flights have helped in medical evacuation, air lifting of medical equipment and staff, carriage of vaccines, repatriation of travellers and contributed to maintaining supply chains during the Covid-19 crisis.

Research has found out that the headrest on a passenger seat has the most filth. It has been concluded that nearly half of the surfaces swabbed on airline flights contained levels of bacteria and yeast that could put a person at risk of infection.

“If youre a person who may have flown privately a few times, or not at all, and never justified the time savings, privacy, efficiency, and pandemic exposure, the time is now to reconsider your travel plans,” said Captain Mohammed.