In early March 2017, the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded Kenya a Category 1 status, as part of its International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) scheme. Prior to this change, all Kenya-based airlines had been prohibited from flying directly to the United States and could not establish code shares with US-Based carriers. The IASA programme was launched by the FAA in 1992. The IASA Programme assists in determining whether a country’s civil aviation regulator adheres to internationally recognised standards in regulatory oversight. Additionally, the assessment examines critical aspects of a nation’s aviation industry including legislation, training, licensing, certification, airworthiness and maintenance.

The United States Government has announced new requirements for select airlines and countries regarding the carriage of electronic devices into the United States. The change affects eight Middle Eastern countries including Turkey, Egypt and the UAE and instructs certain airlines of these nations that electronic devices larger than a smartphone such as laptops and tablets may not be carried on board and must be placed in the checked baggage hold. The move comes after US intelligence agencies cited that terrorist groups continue to target commercial aviation and may attempt to smuggle explosives on board using these types of devices.

PenAir (Also known as Peninsula Airways) is small regional operator, servicing destinations throughout Alaksa and North America, utilising a fleet of Saab turboprop aircraft. The airline was founded in 1955 as Peninsula Airways and has gradually expanded both its fleet and route network. The airline now services destinations in Colorado and Kansas through its extensive code share agreement with Alaska Airlines.

The airline began operations in 1955 and has since acquired a number of new aircraft, whilst concurrently removing ageing models from its operational fleet. Furthermore, throughout its history the airline has steadily expanded both its route network and scope of operations to incorporate both cargo and charter flight services. This constant fleet renewal coupled with the gradual growth of overall operations indicates that the airline likely has access to a sufficient level of financial resources. In 2012, PenAir began performing a number of Essential Air Service (EAS) routes which provides air transport for the public in remote areas. In early 2017, PenAir operated a fleet of Saab turboprop aircraft with an average over just over 26 years. However, it important to note that having a high average fleet age is not uncommon for Alaskan and Canadian regional operators.

Only a limited insight could be established into the airline’s maintenance and training arrangements. Furthermore, the airline’s overall fleet age is in excess of 25 years and is classified as very old. Due to the ageing fleet, low level of annual flight hours and aircraft cycles and limited operational capability, PenAir has been categorised as mid risk within the ARC, with a score of 5.42.