KQ boosts fleet to avert crisis over delayed 778 Boeing aircraft
PANA

Kenya Airways said Wednesday it acquired an additional a ircraft, a Boeing 767-300 ER, to boost its fleet as it awaits the delivery of Bo e ing's latest commercial aircraft series, the Boeing 778 Dreamliner, whose delive r y has been delayed for several years.

"The B767, which is leased from International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC), replaces an older B767, whose lease expired earlier in the year and the aircraft

was returned to the owner," the airline said in a statement made available to PA N A.

The decision to lease the aircraft was necessitated by the delay in the producti on and delivery of Boeing 787 Dreamliners, whose maiden flight is expected early

next year.

It said the B787 was a part of the Kenya Airways fleet development and moderniza tion plan.

The aircraft will ply medium-haul regional routes to bolster the current wide-bo dy fleet.

According to company officials, the national flag carrier has leased the aircraf t for 18 months, with an option to renew the agreement further if required.

The new aircraft, brings to 26 the total number of aircraft in the Kenya Airways fleet.

It will carry 20 passengers in business class and 215 in economy class.

â?Kenya Airways has optimized its network through capacity rationalization, int roduction of new destinations, staff training, improving connectivity and enhanc i ng both crew and aircraft utilization,â? Group Managing Director and CEO Titus N aikuni said.

Kenya Airways serves over three million passenger a year and flies to over 47 de stinations worldwide, 39 of them African, including direct flights to Amsterdam,

Paris and London and select destinations in Asia, including Dubai, Mumbai, Guang z hou, Hong Kong, and Bangkok. â?Our main goal is to interconnect Africa and link the entire continent to the rest of the world,â? he said, adding that the airline currently covers over 70 p er cent of the continent.

The KQ fleet includes four Boeing 777-200ER; six Boeing 767-300ER; five Boeing 7 37-800; four Boeing 737-700; four Boeing 737-300 and three Embraer 170LR.

Kenya Airways has embarked on an aggressive network expansion programme to cater for the growing customer needs.

The route expansion has been accompanied by fleet modernization and a commitment to safety and the growing aviation standards in the continent.

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