The national carrier Kenya Airways has announced plans to hire 187 staff as part of its route expansion and the integration of a new Dreamliner into its fleet by June 2019, according to a report from Business Daily Africa.
The airline, currently employing 895 flight attendants, is recruiting 100 cabin crew members while also hiring 87 Assistant Flight Pursers (AFPs), increasing the total AFP count to 115. A company statement noted that the expansion follows the addition of a Dreamliner in September 2018 and another scheduled for June 2019, necessitating increased cabin crew numbers to support new routes.
Kenya Airways plans to launch flights to Rome and Geneva within three months, aiming to boost revenue amid heightened competition. CEO Sebastian Mikosz confirmed recruitment would proceed in phases, starting with Flight Pursers, followed by AFPs, and finally flight attendants, with 25 recruits joining monthly from March 2019.
The airline declined to disclose details about employment contracts or budget allocations for the hires but emphasized that flight attendants receive competitive salaries higher than regional private-sector peers. Meanwhile, the proposed merger with the Kenya Airports Authority faces opposition from Members of Parliament and the Kenya Aviation Workers Union, which claims it could jeopardize the regulator’s financial stability.
Mikosz defended the merger as essential to safeguarding Kenya Airways from competition, asserting no staff would lose their jobs during the transition.
