Air France-KLM projects 19pc growth in passenger seats in Kenya

Air France-KLM

Dutch pilot Gert Brienne with the Air France-KLM Cargo Boeing. The airline anticipates pent-up demand post-August election and renewed interest in Kenya as a destination.

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

Air France-KLM projects 19 percent growth in passenger seats this year compared to last year driven by increasing business travel.

The airline anticipates pent-up demand post-August election - that usually slows down arrivals - and renewed interest in Kenya as a destination after the pandemic season that saw air travel falling sharply prompting airlines to cut capacity.

“Kenya and the region remain a top priority of our network and we shall continue to provide a high-frequency network with updated products and services to connect Kenya to the world via our two hubs Charles De Gaulle - CDG and Schiphol. Besides, we will continue to apply our double hub strategy to offer more choice and flexibility to our customers,” said the region’s general manager Marius van der Ham.

The airline restored at least 85 percent of its capacity in the market in 2022 against the backdrop of the gradual lifting of the Covid-19 restrictions on passengers.

The contribution of corporate travellers was recorded at 75 percent for the East and Southern Africa, Nigeria, and Ghana region versus in 2019 while in Kenya the contribution was 95 percent, and 16 percent more in Tanzania, consequently showing an above-average recovery of this segment.

“For 2023, we aim to capitalise on the gains made in 2022 to further solidify our position in the East Africa market. This means we will improve our products and services, review our fare structure to match consumer needs, improve our loyalty program, and continuously improve our airport experience by providing our customers with great support both at our departure and arrival stations,” Marius van der Ham added.