Kenya Airways begins Big Apple operation

Kenya Airways Nairobi to New York JFK 

Kenya Airways kick-started operations to the Big Apple on 28 October, launching non-stop flights on a 11,829-kilometre sector between Nairobi and New York JFK. A big press event took place at JFK the following day, with the flights operating overnight from Africa. Among those at the press conference included: Robinson Githae, Kenyan Ambassador to the US (front row, second left); Sebastian Mikosz, CEO, Kenya Airways (front row, centre); and Monica Juma, Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary. Kenya Airways will offer this transatlantic service daily using its 787-8s.

• Kenya Airways made history on 28 October when it launched non-stop flights between Nairobi (NBO) and New York JFK (JFK). “This day and milestone will not only have a history on the aviation industry but also the history of the opening of the Eastern hemisphere,” said Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary, Ambassador Monica Juma, who was on board the maiden flight. The SkyTeam member will offer a daily service on the 11,829-kilometre sector which will face no direct competition, with it using its fleet of 787-8s on its sole route to North America. Along with commencing flights to the Big Apple, the carrier also added new African nodes to its network on 29 October, launching a Nairobi – Yaounde (NSI) – Libreville (LBV) operation, with it not having traffic rights between the two latter cities. Kenya Airways will offer five weekly flights on the latter tri-city route using its fleet of E190s, with no other carrier presently linking Yaounde and Libreville to the Kenyan capital.