This archive report was first published on 13 November 2019.
Published on November 13, 2019, Kenya Airways is marking a significant milestone in its history as it celebrates one year since the launch of direct flights between Nairobi and New York.
The airline's chairman, Michael Joseph, revealed that KQ has hit a 75% passenger capacity on its direct flights to the US, with 594 completed flights to and from New York since the launch of the route in October 2018.
According to Michael Joseph, at least 105,084 passengers have flown the route in the past one year, which is a remarkable achievement considering the airline's capacity.
Speaking during a one-year anniversary celebration in New York, Michael Joseph said, 'For the 594 flights made in the year, KQ could have ferried a full 138,998 passengers on full capacity. This means the airline managed 75% capacity since the launch.'
The launch of the route marked a significant milestone for Kenya Airways, making it the first airline to offer a non-stop flight between East Africa and the United States of America.
The airline operates a Boeing 787 Dreamliner with a capacity of 234 passengers on the route, which has a 15-hour duration eastbound and 14-hour duration westbound.
Kenya Airways' Nairobi to New York Route serves 34 African destinations, with Nigeria leading at 16.3% of connecting Africa traffic with 1753 passengers.
To facilitate a seamless one-stop travel experience from the US, the airline signed a codeshare agreement with America's Delta Airlines, enabling travellers to enjoy more connectivity to various destinations in the US.
Kenya Airways is Kenya's flag bearer airline, with its hub at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, and is a member of the African Airlines Association.
