This archive report was first published on 17 November 2019.
On November 17, 2019, Kenya Airways was awarded the prestigious African Airlines Association (AFRAA) Airline of the Year Award for Best Improved in intra-Africa connectivity. The award recognized the airline's remarkable contribution to connectivity through opening up the highest number of African routes within 2018.
Since the beginning of 2018, Kenya Airways (KQ) has opened four routes in Africa, including Mauritius, Mogadishu, and Malindi, and increased frequencies and capacity to other destinations. The airline now offers the best connectivity in Africa with 44 destinations on the continent, while providing the continent with unmatched connectivity to the rest of the world through its 55 destinations worldwide.
Kenya Airways Chief Executive Sebastian Mikosz received the award during the AFRAA Annual General Assembly in Mauritius. Mikosz, who leaves KQ at the end of the year, described the award as a rare accolade amid the gloom at the national carrier, which is struggling with poor financial performance and disputes with pilots.
Other airlines recognized at the ceremony included Royal Air Maroc, which emerged as African Airline of the Year in the global operations category for best improved results in 2018, and Ethiopian Airlines, which has shone in continental awards for numerous years.
AFRAA Secretary General Abdérahmane Berthé underscored the importance of the Single African Air Transport Market and the African Continental Free Trade Area as major opportunities for a region still in need of globally competitive airlines to reap the dividends.
