Kenya’s flag carrier is operating at near full capacity as the war in the Middle East drives up demand, the company’s CEO said.
African aviation is facing a stress test as a result of the Iran war, as fuel costs rise and routes are closed in the Middle East. The tensions have led to losses for Ethiopian Airlines, the continent’s largest airline, Kenya Airways’ flights have gone from 70% occupancy to up to 99%, acting Chief Executive George Kamal said. The increased demand has come from Asia, Europe, and the US.
Kenya Airways, which is majority-owned by the government, posted a pre-tax loss of $138 million last year. Its performance was impacted by the grounding of three Dreamliner jets but Boeing planes will be added to its fleet this year, the company said.