Kenya Airways to cut back on flights to New York from next year

Kenya Airways will cut back direct flights to New York from Nairobi route to five per week starting January.

According to CEO Mikosz, there is low demand that is attributed to the winter season.

“The frequency from January will be five daily flights then when the demand is high we shall resume daily flights.

“At the moment we are flying daily and the planes are not expected to be full in the first six months, our target is to achieve 65percent bookings,” he said.

Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV on Wednesday, Mikosz revealed that the airline will resume daily flights when demand increases.

He however said the airline would continue making daily flights for now adding that the airline is performing well for a route they have just entered into.

“The problem of starting a flight route is not the first flight but the subsequent flights. Many people said it will not happen but it did, the plane is also performing very well which is very positive,” he said.

He noted that KQ is facing stiff competition from other airlines in East Africa and urged Kenyans to be supportive.

“At the moment we are facing stiff competition from Rwanda and Tanzania who are expanding very fast in air traffic. We therefore need to pull our energy together to ensure that we make JKIA more attractive and marketable, ” the CEO said.

“The business class is selling very well which is very promising. I am very optimistic that we will make it. This venture requires time, patience and support from Kenyans.”

In October, President Kenyatta inaugurated historic maiden Kenya Airways direct flight to New York, cutting long hours passengers had to spend connecting through different continents.

It now takes 15 hours to fly from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport directly to the JFK Airport.