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The air passenger charge Bill would make KRA remit airport passenger fees straight to the named beneficiaries after its own collection costs. The Air Passenger Service Charge (Amendment) Bill, 2026 — National Assembly Bill No. 56 — rewrites how Cap. 475 money moves, not the headline charge itself. It is not law yet.
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What the air passenger charge Bill changes
On the face of the published Bill (Kenya Gazette Supplement No. 206 of 31 July 2026) on parliament.go.ke, section 3(2) of Cap. 475 swaps the word “charges” for “amounts”. A rewritten section 6A says the Commissioner shall remit all proceeds of the charge directly to the entities listed in section 3(3), in the proportions set by the Cabinet Secretary’s Gazette notice, after deducting Kenya Revenue Authority collection expenses.
A consequential amendment to the Kenya Airports Authority Act aligns KAA’s receipt language with proceeds received under section 3(3) of the Air Passenger Service Charge Act. The memorandum says the goal is clarity on remittance modalities so beneficiaries get their shares directly.
What the air passenger charge Bill does not change
The Bill does not set a new shilling amount for the passenger charge on tickets. Travellers should not read it as an automatic fare increase. Airlines and airports will still follow the charge rates and apportionment notices already in force until a separate Gazette changes those figures.
What happens next
The Bill was received by the National Assembly’s Director of Legal Services on 21 August 2026. It still needs the remaining parliamentary stages and presidential assent. Operators watching cash-flow timing between KRA, KAA and other named beneficiaries should track when section 6A would commence.
Airlines already collect the charge as part of the ticket price stack. What changes under the Bill is the back-office path after KRA receives the money: direct remittance to each statutory beneficiary in Gazette proportions, instead of ambiguous pooling language that the memorandum says has caused administration friction. Finance teams at carriers and ground handlers should map which entities sit in section 3(3) once the Cabinet Secretary’s apportionment notice is read alongside the new section 6A.
For readers tracking air passenger charge, the takeaway is practical: The air passenger charge remains a collected statutory levy; this Bill is about who receives the remittance. See also Tax Bill fuel VAT. This air passenger charge briefing sticks to primary documents only.
Frequently asked questions
Will the air passenger charge on my ticket go up?
Not under this Bill’s text. It clarifies remittance of collected amounts, not a new charge rate.
Who remits the money?
Under the rewritten section 6A, the Commissioner (KRA) remits proceeds to the section 3(3) entities after deducting collection expenses.
Is this law already?
No. It is a published Bill awaiting passage and assent.
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