KENYA AIRWAYS MOVING TOWARDS NEXT NEWAIRCRAFT ORDER
(Posted 07th June 2013)
A usually well informed source close to Kenya Airways has given the clearest indication yet that The Pride of Africa is set to soon place an order for more B 737-700/800NG aircraft, as their older B737-300 models are progressively leaving the passenger fleet to undergo conversion into cargo aircraft.
While the Embraer E190 has by and large replaced the Boeings from the domestic and regional routes and even medium distance African routes, the B737-800NG is needed for routes with higher passenger numbers, where the E190 is too small to make a regular appearance.
While a current order of Embraer jets continues to be delivered, next in line will therefore be another order of what might be as many as 8 B737-700/800NG’s to allow the projected growth in destinations and frequencies across Africa to be backed up by sufficient assets.
The airline’s strategic Plan Mawingo foresees a doubling of the present fleet by 2016 and again nearly doubling the fleet size to about 120 aircraft, freighters included, by 2021/2 financial year.
Shown below is the projected fleet increase by Kenya Airways over the coming years to allow for a better understanding where KQ is heading:
