Kenya Airways (KQ) has announced plans to resume its daily flights for the New York route with effect from December, citing a spike in forward bookings for the festive month.
The airline had cut the flight frequency on the route to three per week from five in February after demand subsided following last year’s festive period.
The higher demand is a positive signal for the tourism sector, for which the US remains the largest overseas source market accounting for 16% of the 870,465 arrivals into the country last year.
KQ has grappled with fluctuating demand on the US route since the beginning of the global COVID-19 pandemic, hence the shifting flight frequencies.
This New York route allows the airline to benefit from connecting travellers who transit through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) from other African capitals that lack direct air access to the US.
KQ narrowed its half-year loss to KES 9.8 billion from a KES 11.5 billion loss posted in the same period last year, attributed to increased revenues.
The Group’s total revenue grew by 76% to KES 48.1 billion from KES 27.4 billion in the same period last year. This increase is mainly attributed to significant growth in passenger revenue which grew by 109%, and cargo revenue which increased by 18%.
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