Kenya Airways Turns To Leased Airbus In Resuming Kinshasa Flights

Kenya Airways (KQ) on Wednesday, June 19 announced the resumption of flights to Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), utilizing the spacious and comfortable Airbus A330 aircraft. 

This significant step underscores KQ’s commitment to providing seamless connectivity and exceptional service across Africa.

“We are delighted to resume operations in Kinshasa and reconnect with our valued passengers in the Democratic Republic of Congo,” said Julius Thairu, Chief Commercial and Customer Officer of Kenya Airways.

“The Airbus A330 aircraft offers passengers an enhanced travel experience, featuring spacious cabins and modern amenities that ensure a comfortable journey to their destination.”

Inside a business class cabin of an Airbus A330. /KENYA AIRWAYS

The Airbus A330 is designed to offer an unparalleled travel experience. With spacious cabins and state-of-the-art amenities, passengers can look forward to a comfortable and relaxing flight.

The business cabin features lie-flat seats, providing the ultimate comfort for long-haul travel. Additionally, business class passengers benefit from a 3-piece bag offer, ensuring ample space for their belongings.

Despite regional challenges, Kenya Airways remains dedicated to enhancing air travel accessibility across Africa.

This resumption of flights to Kinshasa reaffirms KQ’s role as a leading airline on the continent, committed to connecting Africa to the world and the world to Africa.

Kenya Airways, a member of the SkyTeam Alliance, is a leading African airline flying to 45 destinations worldwide, 37 of which are in Africa.

The airline has received numerous accolades, including recognition as Africa’s Leading Airline and Africa’s Leading Airline – Business Class by the World Travel Awards in 2022. In 2023, KQ was awarded Best Airline Staff in Africa at the prestigious Skytrax World Airline Awards.

KQ’s fleet includes wide-body Boeing aircraft, such as the flagship B787 Dreamliner, and narrow-body Embraer E190 aircraft. The airline’s renowned on-board service and lie-flat business class seats are consistently ranked among the world’s top 10.

On December 20, 2023, KQ signed a short-term lease agreement with Hi Fly, one of the world’s leading lease and charter specialist airlines to enhance operational efficiency during the peak festive season.

KQ revealed in a statement that the ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance) lease will see the immediate introduction of the A330 into the KQ fleet to support operational efficiency as well as enhance capacity in the market.

Kenya Airways retired its Airbus fleet in 2004 in favour of United States (US)-based Boeing. 

Image of a Kenya Airways aircraft landing at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi. /FILE