(Posted 27th March 2026)
Courtesy of Aero Trail ltd and Mr. Alex Koech
Present business upswing thought to help in easing financial pressures
Kenya Airways reported a sharp reversal in its financial performance for FY2025, posting a net loss of Sh17.12 billion (?$132 million) compared to a profit of Sh5.4 billion (?$42 million) in FY2024. Total revenue declined to Sh161.5 billion (?$1.25 billion) from Sh188.5 billion (?$1.46 billion), largely due to an 18% reduction in capacity following the temporary grounding of three Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft amid global engine shortages and supply chain delays.
This shift pushed the airline from an operating profit of Sh16.6 billion (?$129 million) in 2024 to an operating loss of Sh5.6 billion (?$43 million) in 2025, while finance costs rose to Sh12.4 billion (?$96 million). Consequently, pre-tax losses widened to Sh17.9 billion (?$138 million).
Despite the downturn, the airline maintained that demand remained strong—supported by recovery trends noted by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) —and attributed the weak performance primarily to external supply-side disruptions, in contrast to 2024 when profitability was supported by favourable foreign exchange gains and full operational capacity.
The illustration provides an overview of KQ’s trafficperformance and financials over the years.
