This archive report was first published on 2 July 2019.
Kenya Airways has taken a significant step to reduce its fuel bill by partnering with GE Aviation, a subsidiary of General Electric. The partnership will provide the airline with real-time digital data on its fleet performance, enabling it to implement and track fuel-saving initiatives across its network.
According to GE Aviation's chief digital officer, John Mansfield, the partnership aims to help Kenya Airways reduce its multimillion-dollar fuel bill and increase overall efficiency. 'Our aim is to help Kenya Airways reduce their multimillion-dollar fuel bill and increase their overall efficiency,' he said.
Kenya Airways has a fleet of 41 planes that fly to various destinations across the globe. The airline's director of operations, Paul Njoroge, said the partnership with GE Aviation will empower the carrier to optimise its fuel costs and improve its service.
GE's flight operations software will be embedded on all Kenya Airways planes, including Boeing 737, 787 series, and Embraer E190 airplanes. The software provides flight analytics services, integrating data sources like flight information, weather, navigation, flight plans, and other operational data to provide insights for airlines around fuel use and operations.
Kenya Airways spends about 27 percent of its expenditure on fuel alone, according to its 2018 annual report. The airline's management has previously said that rising fuel costs present a significant challenge to its recovery. To mitigate this, the company has implemented a fuel hedging policy to protect against global fuel price volatility.
