Airlines India, Indian Airlines

Kenya’s flag carrier Kenya Airways has announced an increase in passenger and cargo uptake on all routes during the quarter ending June this year.

In a statement received in Nairobi Thursday, the company said the total number of passengers increased by 12 percent during the period to hit 585 786, up from 524 029 uplifted in the same period last year, while the cargo business grew by 19 percent.

The airline’s Managing Director Titus Naikuni attributed the impressive growth to the effective implementation of the strategic route expansion program coupled with fleet modernization.

The highest passenger growth was experienced in the Far East, Middle East and Asia region, which increased by 19 percent. “This was as a result of the introduction of three weekly flights into Guangzhou, China through Dubai from October 2005,” said Naikuni.

Passenger numbers on the African routes, excluding passengers traveling within Kenya, went up by 13 percent owing to the increased utilization of larger aircraft and expansion of the route network.

“The extension of Cairo operations to Istanbul from June 2005 saw our capacity increase by 32 percent in North Africa while in West Africa, capacity increased as a result of the deployment of the larger B767s to Kinshasa, Accra and Abidjan and the introduction of the Bamako — Dakar service in July 2005,” Naikuni added.

The airline has also increased frequencies into Johannesburg with double daily services and at least one weekly frequency on the larger B777.

The use of the larger B767s in place of the B737s on Lusaka- Lilongwe route plus the introduction of two weekly frequencies to Maputo via Harare in October 2005 was also cited as a major contributor to the increase in passenger uptake on the continent.

Naikuni said the number of passengers on the European route grew by 11 percent driven by more operation of the newly delivered B777s on London and Amsterdam coupled with the impact of the new Mombasa-London service introduced in December 2005.

Cargo volume uplifted in the quarter increased to 13 851 tons, with major growth levels coming from Europe, Southern Africa and the Far East regions.

Kenya Airways attributed the improvement to increased belly space provided by the addition of two B777s in 2005 with enhanced commercial efforts.

Plans are underway by the Malaysian airline to enter into a code sharing arrangement with Kenya Airways before the end of the year, a Malaysian official has said.

The code sharing arrangement will facilitate cordial relationship between Kenya and Malaysia which was initiated in the late 1990’s.

Speaking in Nairobi yesterday Malaysian High Commissioner to Kenya Selwyn Das said that his government is keen on developing further bilateral relationship with Kenya.

Das said once Malaysian airways get into code sharing agreement with Kenya it will increase participation of the two countries which will in turn harness economic growth of the two states.

Malaysian, he said has a lot to learn from Kenya in consideration that the two countries are grouped as developing countries.

Das said there is need for the two states to harness cordial relationship which will in turn increase trade volume between the two countries.

Currently volume of trade between the two country is in favour of Malaysia. Malaysia imports scrap metals and agricultural products from Kenya while Kenya imports petroleum products, furnishers and Palm oil products from Malaysia.

Das notes that trade volumes between the two states are in the lowest levels and there is need for administration between the two states to venture into ways which will increase the volumes.

The envoy noted that there is need for increased sensitisation of economic structures in the two countries which will in turn boost economic ties.

He said Malaysian is currently working on modalities which will strengthen economic ties with Kenya in ensuring that both states benefit from the ties.

Kenya’s flag carrier Kenya Airways has announced an increase in passenger and cargo uptake on all routes during the quarter ending June this year.

In a statement received in Nairobi Thursday, the company said the total number of passengers increased by 12 percent during the period to hit 585,786, up from 524,029 uplifted in the same period last year, while the cargo business grew by 19 percent.

The airline’s Managing Director Titus Naikuni attributed the impressive growth to the effective implementation of the strategic route expansion program coupled with fleet modernization.

The highest passenger growth was experienced in the Far East, Middle East and Asia region, which increased by 19 percent. “This was as a result of the introduction of three weekly flights into Guangzhou, China through Dubai from October 2005,” said Naikuni.

Passenger numbers on the African routes, excluding passengers traveling within Kenya, went up by 13 percent owing to the increased utilization of larger aircraft and expansion of the route network.

“The extension of Cairo operations to Istanbul from June 2005 saw our capacity increase by 32 percent in North Africa while in West Africa, capacity increased as a result of the deployment of the larger B767s to Kinshasa, Accra and Abidjan and the introduction of the Bamako — Dakar service in July 2005,” Naikuni added.

The airline has also increased frequencies into Johannesburg with double daily services and at least one weekly frequency on the larger B777.

The use of the larger B767s in place of the B737s on Lusaka- Lilongwe route plus the introduction of two weekly frequencies to Maputo via Harare in October 2005 was also cited as a major contributor to the increase in passenger uptake on the continent.

Naikuni said the number of passengers on the European route grew by 11 percent driven by more operation of the newly delivered B777s on London and Amsterdam coupled with the impact of the new Mombasa-London service introduced in December 2005.

Cargo volume uplifted in the quarter increased to 13,851 tons, with major growth levels coming from Europe, Southern Africa and the Far East regions.

Kenya Airways attributed the improvement to increased belly space provided by the addition of two B777s in 2005 with enhanced commercial efforts.

A city consumer court has asked Kenya Airways Limited (KAL) to pay Rs 60,000 as compensation to a bank manager who found his baggage pilfered at Harare Airport where he had gone attend a meeting.

The Delhi State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, considering the admission by KAL that the complainant’s baggage was totally damaged at Harare, held it guilty for hardships faced by G Narayana, general manager, Bank of Maharashtra.

“Taking overall view of the matter and the hardships faced by the complainant, who was holding a reasonable high position, we deem that compensation of Rs 50,000 besides Rs 10,000 as cost of litigation would meet the end of the justice,” said the Commission bench comprising Justice J D Kapoor and member Rumnitta Mittal.

The order came on a complaint, filed in 1996, by Narayana who through M/S Goodfaith Travel Enterprises, booked an air ticket with the KAL for attending the second Afro-Asian Banking School at Harare on July 26, 1992.

While receiving his booked baggage at the airport, he was shocked to see that his new suitcase was tampered with.

Kenya Airways has announced an increase in passenger and cargo uptake on all routes during the first quarter ending June this year.

Cargo volumes increased by 19 percent to 13,851 tonnes, with major growth levels coming from Europe, Southern Africa and the Far East and Asia regions. Total passenger numbers increased by 12 percent during the period to hit 585,786 up from 524,029 last year.

Managing Director, Titus Naikuni has attributed the impressive growth to the effective implementation of the strategic route expansion programme and the airline’s fleet modernization programme.

The highest passenger growth was experienced in the Far East, Middle East and Asia region which increased by 19 percent.

“This was as a result of the introduction of three weekly flights into Guangzhou, China through Dubai from October 2005,” says Naikuni.

Passenger numbers on the African routes, excluding passengers travelling within Kenya, went up by 13 percent owing to the increased utilization of larger aircraft and expansion of the route network.

“The extension of Cairo operations to Istanbul from June 2005 saw our capacity increase by 32 percent in North Africa while in West Africa, capacity increased as a result of the deployment of the larger B767s to Kinshasa, Accra and Abidjan and the introduction of the Bamako – Dakar service in July 2005,” Naikuni added.

The number of passengers on the European route grew by 11 percent driven by more operation of both the newly delivered B777s on London and Amsterdam coupled with the impact of the new Mombasa-London service introduced in December 2005.

Within the Kenyan market Kenya Airways increased capacity by 13 percent as a result of increased operations into Mombasa and Kisumu.

“This was necessitated by the pulling out from these routes of some of the competition as well as the need to cope with increased tourist traffic to the coastal region,” says Naikuni.