Kenya Airways
A Kenya Airways flight from Nairobi to New York was forced to return to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) after developing a technical fault while flying over Chad.
In a customer update issued on Sunday, July 5, the national carrier said Flight KQ002D experienced a flight controls spoiler malfunction at around 7:50 p.m., prompting the crew to turn the aircraft back to Nairobi as a precautionary safety measure.
KQ noted that the pilots followed established safety procedures before deciding to return the aircraft for further technical assessment.
“Kenya Airways PLC (KQ) confirms that on 5 July 2026, at around 19:50Hrs, flight KQ 002D from Nairobi to New York experienced a flight controls spoiler malfunction while flying over Chad.
“For the safety of our guests and crew onboard, the crew followed precautionary safety checks and elected to return to Nairobi for further technical evaluation by our teams. The aircraft is expected to land safely on 6th July at 00:30Hrs,” KQ stated.
Kenya Airways apologized to passengers for the disruption, assuring them that the safety of customers and crew remains its top priority.
“We sincerely apologise to our customers for the inconvenience and assure them that their safety and that of our crew are our highest priority,” the airline stated.
The airline also confirmed that affected passengers would be assisted with alternative travel arrangements on the next available flight.
“We will assist customers with their travel itinerary on the next available flight as soon as possible,” the airline said.
Further, KQ explained that spoiler malfunctions are uncommon but can occur, noting that they increase drag and fuel consumption.
However, it emphasized that its pilots are trained to safely handle such situations and that air turnbacks are standard aviation safety procedures.
“Spoiler malfunctions are rare but can occur, and they cause increased drag and fuel consumption. Our pilots are trained to proficiently handle these scenarios safely, and air turnbacks are standard safety procedures,” KQ added.
