KQ banks on flight changes to fly into profitability

By EDWIN OKOTHMore by this Author

Kenya Airways will alter flight schedules beginning this week following the reopening of a runway at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport after a year of repairs.

The national carrier announced the changes affecting its African destinations, with increased frequencies during the day that was limited by the works.

Kenya Airways' Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Mbuvi Ngunze said the rationale behind this hub redesign programme is to augment operations as the carrier seeks to return to profitability in the next two years.

"Kenya Airways will now operate more hours of the day, thereby ensuring efficient use of its aircraft and crew. Through this, there will be room for an increase in flight frequencies to some cities in its network, especially in Africa. The changes are expected to boost connectivity for our passengers in Africa by at least 20 per cent," Mr Ngunze said in a statement last week.

In the new changes, an additional flight has been introduced to Johannesburg, making it four flights daily to the South African capital.

There are now night flights to Antananarivo in Madagascar, increasing frequency to twice a day.

The Central African city of Bangui will also have flight frequencies increase to three times a week.

This is in addition to the recently introduced night trips to Kinshasa and Lagos and reopened flights to Freetown and Monrovia.

Douala operations are back to normal after the runaway reopened in the capital of Cameroon.

KQ will also offer additional flights to Addis Ababa, making a total of three trips every day to the Ethiopian capital.

From Sunday, the airline began effecting major changes to its two European routes in a revised summer schedule set to promote efficiency.

Source: KQ banks on flight changes to fly into profitability