This archive report was first published on 29 October 2019.
October 28, 2018, marked a significant milestone for Kenya Airways as it launched its non-stop flights between Nairobi and New York. One year later, the airline has achieved remarkable success, ferrying over 105,000 passengers and operating 594 flights.
The national carrier was the first in East Africa to fly non-stop into a US city, and since the launch of the NBO – NYC route, it has signed 15 Codeshare agreements, steadily penetrating the highly competitive US market.
Kenya Airways Group Managing Director & Chief Executive Sebastian Mikosz said, “The US and the American continent continue to be an essential piece of the puzzle in our network. There have been challenges in the last year but overall, the decision to launch our flights on this route has been rewarding.”
The airline has maintained consistency in its flights, flying daily during the peak season and five times weekly during low season, achieving an average cabin factor of 75% during the year.
Going forward, KQ will be looking to increase partnerships to fully realize the potential and gains of this investment. The airline is strategically positioned on Terminal 4 at JFK, which has been critical to its success as a lone African Carrier in that space.
Since 2018, KQ has focused on expanding its network as part of the airline’s growth strategy, and this route has created the shortest gateway for leisure and corporate travelers to Africa from the finance capital of the world – New York.
The US is one of Kenya’s top tourist source markets, with about 95,000 tourists visiting Kenya every year. KQ is pursuing plans to take up partnership opportunities that ensure seamless connectivity to some of Kenya’s world-renowned tourist destinations such as Maasai Mara.
During the year, KQ connected 34 African countries to the US, with Nigeria, Uganda, South Africa, Tanzania, and Congo being the top traffic sources from Africa.
The introduction of this route has been critical in supporting commerce for Kenya and the rest of Africa, reducing transport time and costs, facilitating knowledge and people flow, and increasing foreign exchange earnings.
Kenya Airways has transported 530 tonnes of cargo from Kenya and 80 tonnes from other African countries to New York, with textiles being the main goods transported under the AGOA agreement.
The airline is also working with the Flower Council of Kenya and other regulatory bodies in Kenya and the US to open up the flower business, which has shown huge potential.
