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Tag: Kenya airways

  • Kenya Airways CEO advocates for stronger African Airlines

    Kenya Airways CEO advocates for stronger African Airlines

    Allen Kilavuka, the Chief Executive Officer of Kenya Airways, emphasizes the importance of establishing robust African carriers to facilitate trade across the continent.

    Kilavuka highlights Kenya Airways’ collaboration with other African airlines to develop a strong entity capable of serving the continent effectively and competing globally.

    During his recent visit to Ghana, Kilavuka spoke to journalists about Kenya Airways’ efforts in this regard.

    The visit follows up on Kenyan President William Ruto’s visit earlier in the month and engagements by officials from the Kenyan Tourism Board in February.

    Together with Kenya Airways, they led a consortium of over 15 travel trade companies for in-market activations aimed at boosting intra-Africa trade.

    Kilavuka stated that the purpose of his visit was to strengthen their relationship in the aviation market and identify areas of mutual support and collaboration.

    The CEO said, “we need to be involved more in the travel market to develop the aviation market, we recommend collaboration and cooperation with other airlines.”

    Mr. Kilavuka emphasized Ghana’s significance as a crucial market for the airline, being the company’s hub in the West Africa Region. He noted that they established Accra as the hub due to support from regulatory agencies in their operations. Furthermore, he highlighted that the company achieved an operating profit for the first time in seven years as an airline last year. Additionally, they attained the highest revenue number in the company’s history.

    “We have also recorded the highest number of passengers in the history of the company, including being voted the second most efficient airline in Africa,” he added.

    Mr. Kilavuka said was anticipating a 20 per cent growth in revenue this year.

    He said the Airline was considering operating some direct flights to the new Kumasi International Airport in Ghana as part of efforts to deepen bilateral trade and tourism between the two friendly countries.

    “We are looking at this marketplace favourably, so in the first place, it [operating flights to Kumasi Airport] is something to consider,” he added.

    The Kumasi International Airport, located at the heart of Ghana’s second most populated city, Kumasi, has undergone a total makeover within the past half-decade.

    The new ultra-modern terminal building, which is capable of handling over 800,000 passengers per year, has modern passenger processing installations in place and is equipped with navigation aids.

    Mr. Kilavuka said that flying to Kumasi looks viable and would be favourably considered by its management.

  • Kenya Airways mulls direct flights to Kumasi Airport

    Kenya Airways mulls direct flights to Kumasi Airport

    Nairobi’s Kenya Airways, based is contemplating launching direct flights to Ghana’s new Kumasi International Airport, aiming to strengthen bilateral trade and tourism ties between the two nations.

    In 2022, Ghana exported $5.46 million worth of goods to Kenya, with main exports including Coconut Oil ($2.44M), Cocoa Powder ($1.66M), and Other live plants, cuttings, and slips; mushroom spawn ($595k). Conversely, Kenya exported $9.53 million worth of goods to Ghana, including coconut and Other Vegetable Fibers ($5.08M), Tea ($1.24M), and aluminium plating ($580k).

    The tourism sector also experiences a growing influx of tourists in both directions, fueled by a visa waiver agreement and attractions in both countries.

    Mr. Allan Kilavuka, CEO of Kenya Airways, expressed the airline’s intention to focus on Kumasi during a media interaction in Accra.

    “We are looking at this marketplace favourably, so in the first place, it [operating flights to Kumasi Airport] is something to consider,” he said.

    The Kumasi International Airport, situated in the heart of Ghana’s second most populous city, Kumasi, has undergone significant transformation in the last five years.

    The new state-of-the-art terminal building, designed to accommodate over 800,000 passengers annually, features modern passenger processing facilities and is equipped with navigation aids. Additionally, the airport offers Jet A1 (aviation fuel) services.

    Mr. Kilavuka indicated that considering flights to Kumasi appears feasible and would be positively evaluated by KQ management.

    “We just need to go back and work out on how, not if, we can operate some frequencies [ to Kumasi Airport]. What we have seen from the back of envelope analysis demonstrates the commercial viability [of servicing the Kumasi International Airport],” he said.

    The Kumasi International Airport currently boasts a runway length of 1,994 meters, which facilitates the operations of aircraft such as A319s, A320s, and Boeing 737s.

    Plans are underway to further extend the runway length to 2,300 meters or more, allowing the airport to accommodate larger aircraft.

  • Kenya Airways achieves operating profit for first time in 7years

    Kenya Airways achieves operating profit for first time in 7years

    Kenya Airways, one of Africa’s largest airlines, has achieved an operating profit in 2023, marking a significant turnaround since 2017.

    Chairman Michael Joseph hailed the $80 million excess as a notable achievement, emphasizing its importance in the airline’s journey.

    The success was attributed to a notable increase in revenue, with passenger numbers experiencing a surge of over 50%.

    Despite facing challenges in recent years, including substantial debts and the impact of the Covid pandemic, Kenya Airways has demonstrated resilience and progress.

    Michael Joseph, in a statement reported by AFP, described the figures as a testament to the airline’s remarkable performance and a positive sign of ongoing recovery in the air transportation sector.

  • Aircraft parts shortage causing Kenyan flight cancellation

    Aircraft parts shortage causing Kenyan flight cancellation

    Kenya Airways claims that delays in receiving parts for aircraft maintenance are causing flight cancellations.

    The airline’s chief executive Allan Kilavuka said the airline had found it difficult to get components required for some of its aircraft undergoing maintenance.

    He said the airline could be forced to cut some flights should the challenges persist.

    He blamed the Russia-Ukraine war for the problem, which he said had crippled the supply chain of Russian raw materials crucial in the aviation industry.

    “The challenges have been occasioned by the Ukraine war crisis which has significantly crippled the Russian supply chain crucial to global aviation,” he said.

    “For example, 100% titanium used on Embraer and 35% titanium used on Boeing are sourced from Russia. With a limited inventory, airlines have had to look worldwide to find the parts they need.”

    Kenya Airways which is one of Africa’s bigges airline, operates a fleet of Boeing and Embraer planes.

    Source: BBC

  • Yet again, Kenya Airways suspends shares

    Yet again, Kenya Airways suspends shares

    The president asserts he wants to sell the government’s stake in the indebted airline, whose stocks have not been traded since 2020.

    The local stock exchange reports that trading in Kenya Airways shares has been halted for another year as the troubled national airline struggles to turn a profit.

    Since July 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic devastated international air travel, the airline’s shares have been suspended.

    “The extension of suspension seeks to enable the company [to] complete its operational and corporate restructure process,” the Nairobi Securities Exchange said in a statement on Wednesday.

    Last month, Kenyan President William Ruto said the government was ready to sell its entire stake in the airline, which has been deep in debt for years.

    The government owns a 48.9 percent stake in Kenya Airways while Air France-KLM has 7.8 percent. The rest is owned by private owners and banks.

    “I’m willing to sell the whole of Kenya Airways,” Ruto told Bloomberg News during his first visit to the United States as Kenya’s president.

    “I’m not in the business of running an airline that just has a Kenyan flag – that’s not my business,” said Ruto, who reportedly met executives from US carrier Delta Air Lines during the trip.

    Kenya Airways’ woes worsened in November when pilots staged a days-long strike, which led to hundreds of flight cancellations and stranded thousands of passengers. It also defaulted on a $525 million loan from the US Export-Import Bank last year.

    The shares were first suspended two and a half years ago as lawmakers were considering a plan – since dropped – for the state to take full ownership of the carrier.

    The airline, whose slogan is “The Pride of Africa”, was founded in 1977 after the demise of East African Airways and now flies more than four million passengers to 42 destinations annually.

    But it has not made a profit since 2012, and the government has pumped in millions of dollars to keep it afloat.

    Last month, the International Monetary Fund called for progress on structural reforms in Kenya while announcing a $447 million loan for Kenya under a 38-month aid programme

    The IMF said “addressing vulnerabilities” at Kenya Airways as well as the majority state-owned utility Kenya Power was “urgent”.

    In August, the airline reported an $81.5 million half-year loss, citing high fuel costs. It was a marked improvement on the $94.6 million loss in the period the year before.

    Local media reports cited a letter from Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u to the IMF at the end of December as saying Kenya Airways would get an additional state bailout of about $280 million soon.

    Source: Aljazeera.com

  • Man’s body discovered in plane undercarriage on flight to Britain from Gambia

    A man’s body was discovered in an airplane’s undercarriage that was flying from the Gambia to Britain.

    A black male passenger’s unidentified body was discovered on a TUI Airways flight from Banjul, the capital of the Gambia, to Gatwick Airport in London, according to a statement released by the country’s government on Tuesday.

    According to Sussex Police, the body was found at Gatwick on December 7 around 4 am.

    In a statement, the force said: “Police were called after the body of a man was found in the undercarriage of an aircraft at Gatwick Airport, arriving from Gambia, at about 4am on December 7.

    “Officers are investigating and a report will be prepared for HM Coroner.”

    However, this is not the first time – Stowaways on planes and ships have happened before.

    In 2015, Dutch authorities discovered a body in the landing gear of a plane from Africa in Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport.

    In November, three stowaways were found on a ship’s rudder in the Canary Islands after an 11-day ocean voyage from Nigeria.

    In 2019, Stowaway reportedly fell from a Heathrow plane and landed next to sunbather.

    The body was found on the undercarriage of a Kenya Airways flight that left from Nairobi.

     

     

  • Kenya Airways threatens to dismiss striking pilots

    Kenya’s national carrier, Kenya Airways, has threatened to start disciplinary action against its pilots whose strike has entered its third day.

    The airline maintains that the strike is unlawful, a position that has been backed by government officials who say the actions of the 400 pilots amount to economic sabotage.

    The national carrier says it cancelled 56 flights over the weekend, affecting some 12,000 passengers.

    Export and importation of cargo such as fresh produce and pharmaceutical products has also been affected.

    The airline now warns that the window for negotiation is closing, and the pilots involved in the strike could face dismissal or legal proceedings.

    The labour ministry on Sunday said the airline was at liberty to take necessary lawful measures against its pilots.

    The government, which is the biggest shareholder at Kenya Airways, said it had invested nearly $500m (£442m) to keep the carrier afloat in the last three years.

    The pilots say the strike is still in full force until their demands are met.

    They want the airline to reinstate contributions to their retirement fund, as well as top managers including the CEO to be fired with immediate effect among other grievances.

    The parties are due to appear in court on Tuesday after the airline acquired an injunction days to the strike.

    Source: BBC

  • Kenya Airways warns pilots as strike continues

    Kenya’s national carrier, Kenya Airways, has threatened to start disciplinary action against its pilots whose strike has entered its third day.

    The airline has maintained that the strike is unlawful, a position that has been backed by government officials who say the actions of the 400 pilots amount to economic sabotage.

    The national carrier says it cancelled 56 flights over the weekend, affecting some 12,000 passengers.

    Export and importation of cargo such as fresh produce and pharmaceutical products has also been affected.

    The airline now warns that the window for negotiation is closing, and the pilots involved in the strike could face dismissal or legal proceedings.

    The labour ministry on Sunday said the airline was at liberty to take necessary lawful measures against its pilots.

    The government, which is the biggest shareholder at Kenya Airways, said it had invested nearly $500m (£442m) to keep the carrier afloat in the last three years.

    The pilots say the strike is still in full force until their demands are met.

    The want the airline to reinstate contributions to their retirement fund, as well as top managers including the CEO to be fired with immediate effect among other grievances.

    The parties are due to appear in court on Tuesday after the airline acquired an injunction days to the strike.

    Source: BBC

  • Kenya Airways pilots say strike to begin on Saturday

    Pilots at Kenya’s national airline, Kenya Airways, will go strike this Saturday, union officials have announced.

    The action comes days after the expiry of a two-week’s strike notice issued by the pilots’ union, who are demanding that the airline resumes contributions to their retirement fund.

    The Kenya Airline Pilots Association (Kalpa) says their members will not report for duty at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi from Saturday 06:00 local time.

    It’s the largest airport in the country and the fourth busiest in Africa.

    “Kenya Airways Management’s actions have left us with no other option,” reads the statement signed by union by general secretary Murithi Nyagah.

    The union’s 14-day strike notice expired on Wednesday, but operations at the airline remained uninterrupted on Thursday.

    Kenya Airways officials are yet to respond to the escalation of calls for a strike.

    Earlier in the week, the company said it was unable to resume contributions to the pilots’ provident fund until 2023.

    Source: BBC