Kenya Airways facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kenya Airways

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 178,496 million (US$1.34 billion) (FY 2023)
Operating income	KSh 10,531 million (US$80.38 million) (FY 2023)
Profit	KSh –22,696 million (US$–175 million) (FY 2023)
Total assets	KSh 176,613 million (FY 2023)
Employees	3,825 (2022)

Kenya Airways is the main airline of Kenya. It is often called the "flag carrier" because it represents the country. The airline started in 1977. This was after another airline, East African Airways, stopped operating.

Kenya Airways has its main office in Embakasi, Nairobi. Its main airport, or "hub," is Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. This is where many of its flights start and end.

The airline was once fully owned by the Government of Kenya. In 1996, it became a private company. This made it the first African national airline to successfully do this. Today, it is a mix of public and private ownership. The Kenyan government owns the largest part (48.9%). Other owners include banks and KLM, a Dutch airline.

Kenya Airways joined SkyTeam in June 2010. SkyTeam is a big group of airlines that work together. Kenya Airways has also been a member of the African Airlines Association since 1977.

History of Kenya Airways

Starting the Journey: Early Years

The Kenyan government created Kenya Airways on January 22, 1977. This happened after the East African Community broke up, which led to the end of East African Airways.

On February 4, 1977, Kenya Airways began 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 that used to belong to East African Airways. These included a Douglas DC-9 and three Fokker F-27 planes.

Later in 1977, Kenya Airways bought three more Boeing 707s. The next year, they started a charter company called Kenya Flamingo Airlines. This company used Kenya Airways planes for international passenger and cargo flights. In its early years, Aer Lingus helped Kenya Airways with technical and management support.

Growing and Becoming Private: 1980s–1990s

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

By July 1980, Kenya Airways had 2,100 employees. Its fleet included three Boeing 707-320Bs, one Boeing 720B, one DC-9-30, and three Fokker F-27-200s. The airline flew to many international cities like London, Frankfurt, and Mumbai. It also had domestic routes within Kenya.

In 1982, direct flights from Nairobi to Mumbai began. Over the next few years, the airline started flying to Tanzania, Burundi, Malawi, and Rwanda. In 1985, Kenya Airways began using a larger Airbus A310-200 plane for European routes. This plane was rented.

In 1986, the airline ordered two Airbus A310-300s. These were the first large, wide-body planes ordered by Kenya Airways. They helped the airline fly more passengers to Europe. By the end of the 1980s, Kenya Airways also added Fokker 50 planes for shorter flights.

Becoming a Private Company

The Kenyan government decided in 1986 that Kenya Airways would do better as a private company. This led to the first attempt to privatize it. In 1991, Philip Ndegwa was appointed chairman with the goal of making the airline privately owned.

In 1994, the International Finance Corporation helped with the privatization process. The plan was for a large airline partner to buy 40% of the shares. Another 40% would go to private investors, and the government would keep the rest. The government also agreed to take on some of the airline's debts.

Several major airlines, including British Airways and KLM, showed interest. KLM was chosen to help privatize the company. KLM bought 26% of the shares, becoming the biggest single owner. In March 1996, shares were offered to the public. Kenya Airways then started trading on the Nairobi Stock Exchange. The Kenyan government kept 23% of the company.

A Kenya Airways Airbus A310-300 at Fiumicino Airport in 1999.

Growth and Challenges: 2000s–2010s

In January 2000, Kenya Airways had its first major accident. An Airbus A310 plane crashed off the coast of Ivory Coast. By April 2000, the airline had a fleet of ten planes and 2,780 staff. It flew to many cities in Africa, Europe, and Asia.

In 2002, Kenya Airways ordered three Boeing 777-200ER planes. They also ordered six Boeing 787-8 planes in March 2006. The first Embraer 190 plane joined the fleet in December 2010.

A Kenya Airways Boeing 767 in 2011.

In June 2012, the company announced a plan to raise money to expand. KLM and the Kenyan government increased their shares in the company. In April 2012, Kenya Airways launched "Project Mawingu," which means "Clouds" in Swahili. This plan aimed to add 24 new destinations by 2021. It included flights to Australia, North America, and South America.

However, in 2015 and 2016, the airline faced big financial losses. The fast expansion from "Project Mawingu" was a main reason for these losses. The airline took steps to fix its financial problems. They sold some planes and rented out others. By the end of 2017, their financial situation improved. The ownership structure changed, with the Kenyan government increasing its stake to 48.9%.

In March 2018, the airline announced a plan to become profitable again. This plan included adding up to twenty new destinations in Africa, Europe, and Asia. They also planned to offer a new "economy-plus" class for business travelers. Talks began with South African Airways about sharing routes and working together on plane maintenance.

Recent Changes: 2020s

In 2021, Kenya Airways announced a plan to restructure its business. This was to help it recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, after reporting more losses, the airline said it planned to reduce its ties with the Kenyan government by the end of 2023.

How Kenya Airways Works

Other Companies They Own

Kenya Airways owns a low-cost airline called Jambojet. This airline was created in 2013. They also fully own African Cargo Handling Limited, which handles cargo.

Kenya Airways partly owns other companies too. They own 51% of Kenya Airfreight Handling Limited, which specializes in handling fresh goods. They also own 41.23% of Precision Air, an airline in Tanzania.

Key People Leading the Airline

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

As of August 2023, Allan Kilavuka is the Group Managing Director and CEO. He was first appointed as acting CEO in December 2019. He took over from Sebastian Mikosz. Kilavuka was later confirmed in his role.

Where Kenya Airways Flies

Kenya Airways flies to 44 different places. It has 61 different flight routes as of August 2023.

Airline Groups (Alliances)

Kenya Airways joined the SkyTeam alliance in June 2010. KLM helped Kenya Airways become a member. Being part of SkyTeam means Kenya Airways passengers can use the worldwide network and facilities of other member airlines.

Sharing Flights (Codeshare Agreements)

Kenya Airways has agreements to share flights with many other airlines. This means you can book a flight with Kenya Airways, but actually fly on a plane operated by one of their partners.

Kenya Airways Fleet

Planes They Use Now

Kenya Airways Boeing 737-800

Kenya Airways Boeing 787-8

A former Kenya Airways Embraer 170 in 2007.

A leased Douglas DC-8-70 in 1990

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

As of December 2023, the Kenya Airways fleet includes the following aircraft:

Future Plans for the Fleet

In April 2013, Kenya Airways received its first of four converted Boeing 737-300 cargo planes. These were meant to increase cargo space on African routes. The airline also received its first Boeing 777-300ER in October 2013.

Kenya Airways had ordered nine Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The first one was delivered on April 4, 2014. Two days later, the Nairobi–Paris route became the first to be served by the Boeing 787.

In May 2015, Kenya Airways stopped using its Boeing 777 planes because of financial losses. These planes were later leased to Turkish Airlines in May 2016.

In 2022, the airline announced plans to make its fleet smaller. In 2023, Kenya Airways said it plans to use only Boeing aircraft in the future.

On December 20, 2023, Kenya Airways announced a deal with Hi Fly Malta for an extra plane. This was to help with more flights during the busy travel season. The airline also received its first Boeing 737-800SF cargo plane in November 2023. It started flying in February 2024.

Planes They Used Before (Historical Fleet)

Kenya Airways has used many different types of planes in the past. These include:

Plane Colors and Design (Livery)

In 2005, Kenya Airways changed the design on its planes. The four stripes along the side of the plane were replaced with the company's slogan: Pride of Africa. The "KA" logo on the tail was changed to a stylish "K" inside a "Q". This new logo represents the airline's code, KQ.

Services for Passengers

Frequent Flyer Programs

Kenya Airways used to have its own frequent flyer program called Msafiri. In 1997, it joined with KLM's program, Flying Dutchman. Then, in 2005, this program merged with Air France's and became Flying Blue.

If you are a Gold Elite or Platinum Elite member of the Flying Blue program, you can use the JV Lounge. This lounge is available for Kenya Airways passengers and those flying with partner airlines. The Simba Lounge is another lounge just for Kenya Airways Business Class passengers. Both lounges are at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Movies and Music on Board (In-flight Entertainment)

The entertainment you get on a flight depends on the plane and your travel class. Kenya Airways has an in-flight magazine called Msafiri. It is given to all passengers on every flight.

Plane Accidents and Incidents

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.

Kenya Airways has had two fatal accidents where people died, and two other accidents where the plane was badly damaged.

• July 10, 1988: A Fokker F27-200 plane landed too fast at Kisumu Airport. It skidded down the runway on its belly. No one was seriously hurt.
• July 11, 1989: A Boeing 707-320B plane went off the runway at Bole International Airport. This happened because the brakes failed. The plane had just taken off but had to return.
• January 30, 2000: Flight 431 was an Airbus A310-304 that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. This happened about a minute after taking off from Abidjan's airport. There were 179 people on board, and 169 of them died.
• May 5, 2007: Flight 507, a Boeing 737-800, crashed into a swamp right after taking off from Douala International Airport. The flight was going to Nairobi. All 114 people on board (105 passengers and 9 crew) died.

See also

In Spanish: Kenya Airways para niños

• Air France–KLM
• Airlines of Africa
• Emily Orwaru, aeronautical engineer
• Irene Koki Mutungi, first female Kenya Airways captain
• Transport in Kenya
• Wanjiku Mugane, member of the board of Kenya Airways