KENYA AIRWAYS GETS EMBRAER’S THUMBS UP AS THEIR LATEST SERVICE CENTER
(Posted 08th July 2015)
Kenya Airways’ in-house maintenance base at their Embakasi headquarters has just received recognition by Embraer as the manufacturer’s 10th global service centre, now permitting the airline to also maintain Embraer E-jets of various makes like the E170/5 and the E190/5 operated by other airlines.
In May did Kenya Airways obtain approval as an Embraer maintenance base from EASA, the European Aviation Safety Agency, paving the way for the manufacturer to follow suit with KQ being the only sub-Saharan such facility in Africa.
Kenya Airways has for many years been offering maintenance services for Boeing aircraft to outside customers. The airline’s predominant aircraft types currently are Boeing B737-700NG’s, Boeing B737-800NG’s, Boeing B787-8’s, Boeing B777-200LR and Boeing B777-300ER among their passenger fleet, besides two Boeing B737-300 freighters which were converted from former passenger aircraft to boost the airline’s cargo capacity across the region and into the wider continent.
Aircraft maintenance is a hugely profitable business especially in Africa where fewer maintenance centres for the major manufacturers exist and Embraer’s seal of approval will now allow KQ to source such contracts from other airlines in Africa and beyond which are seeking EASA and manufacturer approved MRO services.
In a related development has the airline’s CEO Mr. Mbuvi Ngunze yesterday denied rumours that the Kenyan government was about to offload a major share package to a Middle East based core investor with deep pockets to help get the airline fast tracked back to financial health. There have also been constant murmurs that one of the Gulf giants may be keen to acquire a stake in Kenya Airways to strengthen their own position vis a vis traffic into Africa via KQ’s Nairobi hub but regular aviation sources in Kenya and the UAE and sources close to the airline have been silent on such a potential move.
Kenya Airways is already code sharing a significant number of flights with Abu Dhabi based Etihad, which has been pursuing its own alliance concept through strategic investments in airlines in Europe, India, Seychelles and Australia and using synergy effects to generate substantial savings for the partners. Watch this space for regular and breaking aviation news from across Eastern Africa.
