Mombasa modern period, Mombasa was a key node in the complex and far reaching Indian Ocean trading networks, its key exports then were ivory, millet, sesamum and coconuts. In the late pre-colonial period (late 19th century), it was the metropolis of a plantation society, which became dependent on slave labour (sources contradict whether the city was ever an important place for exporting slaves) but ivory caravans remained a major source of economic prosperity. Mombasa became the major port city of pre-colonial Kenya in the Middle Ages and was used to trade with other African port cities, the Persian Empire, the Arabian
Mombasa Air Services traded Cooper Motor Corporation. To provide capital and purchase larger, more reliable turbo-prop aircraft to operate scheduled services, the firm was sold to CMC who subsequently sold to the Sameer Group and the operations moved to Nairobi. The purchase of turbo-prop aircraft did not occur at that time, and the start up of domestic scheduled tourist services from Mombasa to the game parks was delayed until the nineties. At December 2010, this airline is out of service but Mombasa Air Safari is now under the same ownership as the original Mombasa Air Services, and continues to operate from Moi Airport