Kenya Airways New York Flight Turns Back Mid-Air After Technical Fault

A photo of Kenya Airways Plane. Photo/ Kenya Airways

Kenya Airways has confirmed that one of its flights bound for New York made a precautionary return to Nairobi after experiencing a technical issue while flying over Chad on Sunday evening.

In a notice dated July 6, Kenya Airways said flight KQ002D, which had departed from Nairobi for New York, developed a flight control spoiler malfunction at around 7:50 p.m. on July 5.

“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 control spoiler malfunction while flying over Chad,” read part of the notice.

Kenya Airways Flight to New York Turns Back to Nairobi Following Spoiler Malfunction

According to the airline, the crew followed all required safety procedures and decided to return the aircraft to Nairobi to allow engineers to carry out further technical assessments.

Also Read: Step-by-Step Guide to Booking Kenya Airways Flight Group Ticket

Kenya Airways further added that the aircraft was expected to land safely at 12:30 a.m. on July 6.

“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,” Kenya Airways stated.

Additionally, the airline assured passengers that the decision to turn back was made purely as a safety precaution, emphasizing that the safety of passengers and crew remains its highest priority.

Kenya Airways also apologised to customers for the inconvenience caused by the disruption.

“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.

Affected Passengers to Be Assisted

The airline highlighted that passengers affected by the incident would be assisted with their travel plans and rebooked on the next available flight to continue their journey.

The airline added that its teams would work to minimise disruptions while ensuring all safety requirements are met before the aircraft returns to service.

Also Read: Kenya Airways Reveals Easy Way to Change Your Flight Without Calling Customer Care

This unexpected air turnback comes weeks after the airline confirmed that one of its flights from Uganda to Kenya was forced to return to Entebbe after experiencing a bird strike shortly after takeoff.

In a statement, the airline said the incident involved flight KQ421, which was scheduled to depart from Entebbe to Nairobi on Sunday morning, May 24.

The airline said the crew followed all required safety procedures before deciding to turn back to Entebbe International Airport.

According to the airline, the bird strike damaged some of the aircraft’s steering systems, prompting engineers to begin repair work immediately.

“The bird strike affected the aircraft’s steering components, and our engineers and airport officials are working around the clock to return the aircraft to service as soon as possible,” the statement continued.

Kenya Airways also apologised to passengers affected by the disruption and assured them that safety remains its top priority.

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