Kenya Airways facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kenya Airways

A Kenya Airways Boeing 787-8
Founded	22 January 1977; 48 years ago (1977-01-22)
Commenced operations	4 February 1977; 48 years ago (1977-02-04)
Hubs	Jomo Kenyatta International Airport
Frequent-flyer program	Asante Rewards
Alliance	SkyTeam
Subsidiaries	African Cargo Handling Limited (100%) Jambojet (100%) Kenya Airfreight Handling Limited (51%)
Fleet size	34
Destinations	44
Headquarters	Embakasi, Nairobi, Kenya
Key people	Michael Joseph (chairman) Allan Kilavuka (managing director and CEO)
Revenue	KSh 18 billion (US$139.2million) (FY 2024)
Operating income	KSh 10,531 million (US$80.38 million) (FY 2023)
Profit	KSh 5.4 Billion shillings (US$42.82 million) (FY 2024)
Total assets	KSh 176,613 million (FY 2023)
Employees	3,825 (2022)

Kenya Airways, also known as KQ, is the main airline of Kenya. It started in 1977 after another airline, East African Airways, stopped operating. Its main office is in Nairobi, Kenya, and its main airport hub is Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

The airline was first owned by the Kenyan government. In 1996, it became a private company. This was a big step, as it was the first African airline to do this successfully. Today, Kenya Airways is owned by both the government and private companies. The Government of Kenya owns the largest part (48.9%). A group of banks owns 38.1%, and KLM (a Dutch airline) owns 7.8%. Other private owners have the rest of the shares. Kenya Airways joined the SkyTeam alliance in 2010. This means it works with many other airlines around the world.

History of Kenya Airways

Starting the Journey (Early Years)

Kenya Airways began on January 22, 1977. This happened after the East African Community broke up, which also led to the end of East African Airways. On February 4, 1977, Kenya Airways started flying. They used two Boeing 707 planes rented from British Midland Airways. Their first international route was from Nairobi to Frankfurt and then to London. For flights within Kenya and nearby countries, they used planes like the McDonnell Douglas DC-9 and Fokker F-27. In the early years, another airline, Aer Lingus, helped Kenya Airways with technical and management support.

Growing Bigger and Becoming Private (1980s–1990s)

A Kenya Airways Fokker F27-200 at Moi International Airport in 1982

By 1980, Kenya Airways had 2,100 employees and a fleet of different Boeing and Fokker planes. They flew to many international cities like London, Frankfurt, and Mumbai. They also had domestic flights within Kenya. In 1985, they started using a larger Airbus A310 plane for European routes. Kenya Airways was the first African airline to order these wide-body planes.

In 1986, the Kenyan government decided it would be better for the airline to be privately owned. This idea was put into action in the 1990s. In 1994, the International Finance Corporation helped with the process. Many big airlines, including British Airways and KLM, were interested in buying a part of Kenya Airways.

A Kenya Airways Airbus A310-300 in 1999.

KLM, a Dutch airline, bought 26% of the shares, becoming the biggest single owner at that time. In March 1996, shares were offered to the public. The Government of Kenya kept 23% of the company. This made Kenya Airways a mix of government and private ownership.

New Planes and Challenges (2000s–2010s)

In January 2000, Kenya Airways had a sad accident when an Airbus A310 crashed off the coast of Ivory Coast. By April 2000, the airline had a fleet of Airbus and Boeing planes. They flew to many cities in Africa, Europe, and Asia. In 2002, they ordered three Boeing 777 planes, and in 2006, they ordered six Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners.

A Kenya Airways Boeing 767 in 2011

In 2012, Kenya Airways launched a big plan called Project Mawingu, which means "Clouds" in Swahili. The goal was to add 24 new destinations by 2021, including flights to Australia and North and South America. However, in 2015 and 2016, the airline faced big financial losses. This was partly due to the fast expansion of routes and planes. To fix this, they made changes to their operations and ownership. The Government of Kenya increased its ownership to 48.9%, and the group of banks got 38.1%.

Recovery and Future Plans (2020s)

In 2021, Kenya Airways announced a plan to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline aimed for a $1 billion restructuring. In 2024, Kenya Airways made a profit for the first time since 2013! This was a huge achievement, thanks to their "Project Kifaru" strategy. This plan focuses on being excellent in operations, managing money well, and making customer experience better. For the first half of 2024, the airline reported a profit of KSh 513 million. This shows a big improvement. The number of passengers grew by 10%, and their income increased by 22%.

In March 2025, Kenya Airways reported a pre-tax profit of $42.82 million.

How Kenya Airways Works

Company Performance

Here's a look at how Kenya Airways has performed over the years:

Other Companies Kenya Airways Owns

Kenya Airways owns a low-cost airline called Jambojet. It also fully owns African Cargo Handling Limited. They partly own Kenya Airfreight Handling Limited (51%) and a Tanzanian airline called Precision Air (41.23%).

Important People at Kenya Airways

As of October 2016, Michael Joseph is the chairman of the airline. He used to be the CEO of Safaricom, a big phone company in Kenya.

As of August 2023, Allan Kilavuka is the Group Managing Director and CEO. He took over this role in December 2019.

Where Kenya Airways Flies

Kenya Airways flies to 44 different places using 61 routes, as of August 2023.

Airline Partnerships (Alliances)

Kenya Airways is part of the SkyTeam alliance. This means it works closely with other airlines like Air France and KLM. Being part of SkyTeam allows Kenya Airways passengers to easily connect to many more destinations around the world. They can also use special airport lounges and other benefits.

Shared Flights (Codeshare Agreements)

Kenya Airways has agreements with many other airlines to share flights. This means you can book a ticket with Kenya Airways, but part of your journey might be on a plane operated by another airline. This helps passengers have more choices for their travel.

Kenya Airways Fleet (Planes)

Current Planes

Kenya Airways Boeing 737-800

Kenya Airways Boeing 787-8

A former Kenya Airways Embraer E170 in 2007

A leased Douglas DC-8-70 in 1990

A former Kenya Airways Boeing 737-700 wearing an older livery

As of February 2025, Kenya Airways uses these planes:

Future Plans for the Fleet

Kenya Airways received its first Boeing 777-300ER in October 2013. They also received their first Boeing 787 Dreamliner on April 4, 2014. The Boeing 787 first flew on the Nairobi–Paris route.

In May 2015, Kenya Airways stopped using its Boeing 777 planes due to financial losses. Some of these planes were leased to Turkish Airlines in May 2016. In 2023, the airline announced plans to use only Boeing aircraft in the future.

In November 2023, Kenya Airways received its first Boeing 737-800SF cargo plane. This plane started flying for the airline in February 2024.

Kenya Airways has a big plan to grow its fleet from 34 to 53 planes by 2029. This will cost about $400 million (KSh 51-52 billion). They plan to buy new planes and upgrade their current ones. This includes adding Wi-Fi and better seats for passengers. This expansion is important for the airline to be more efficient and competitive.

Kenya Airways and Sustainability

Kenya Airways is working on being more sustainable and responsible. They have started three main projects under their "Project Kifaru" plan:

• Pyro-diesel plant: This plant makes 700-1,000 liters of diesel every day. This helps the airline use less fossil fuels, save money on fuel, and reduce its carbon footprint.
• Water bottling plant: This plant produces 4,500 liters of water daily. It helps the airline rely less on outside suppliers and saves money on water. They might even sell some water to earn more money.
• Msafiri House transformation: This building is being turned into a central control center for flights. This will help manage flights and planes better, improve teamwork, and lower costs. It will also have training facilities, which can bring in extra money.

These projects show Kenya Airways' commitment to protecting the environment, running more efficiently, and helping the community by creating jobs.

Services for Passengers

Frequent Flyer Programs

Kenya Airways' old frequent flyer program, Msafiri, joined with KLM's Flying Dutchman in 1997. Later, in 2005, it became part of Flying Blue after Air France and KLM merged. If you are a Gold Elite or Platinum Elite member of Flying Blue, you can use the JV Lounge at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. This lounge is for Kenya Airways passengers and those flying with partner airlines. The Simba Lounge is another lounge at the same airport, but it's only for Kenya Airways Business Class passengers.

Onboard Entertainment

The entertainment you get on your flight depends on the type of plane and your travel class. The airline's magazine is called Msafiri. It is available to all passengers on all planes.

• Boeing 787-8: In Premier World (Business Class), you can choose movies and shows on demand. In Economy Class, there are scheduled movies and shows.
• Boeing 737-800: There are screens above the seats in both classes, and you can listen to eight audio channels.
• Embraer 190: These planes have individual touchscreens at each seat.

Safety Information

A Kenya Airways Boeing 707-320B in 1986. This plane was damaged in an accident in 1989.

Kenya Airways has had two major accidents where lives were lost.

• On January 30, 2000, Kenya Airways Flight 431, an Airbus A310, crashed into the Atlantic Ocean shortly after taking off from Abidjan, Ivory Coast. There were 179 people on board, and 169 of them died.
• On May 5, 2007, Kenya Airways Flight 507, a Boeing 737-800, crashed into a swamp right after taking off from Douala, Cameroon. All 114 people on board (105 passengers and nine crew) died.

Images for kids

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  5Y-BBK, a Kenya Airways Boeing 707-320B in 1986, was damaged beyond economical repair on 11 July 1989, in an accident at Bole International Airport.

See also

In Spanish: Kenya Airways para niños