SALE AND LEASE BACK FOR TWO KENYA AIRWAYS B737-700’S?
(Posted 08th October 2017)
It was confirmed on the sidelines of the just ended Magical Kenya Travel Expo that national carrier Kenya Airways – a key partner of the Kenya Tourism Board for their premier annual event and beyond – has sold their two Boeing B737-700 models.
This aircraft type, of which KQ operated just two aircraft – one painted in the livery of the SkyTeam alliance – has a longer range but also carry less passengers and cargo. The newer type Boeing B737-800, of which KQ operates 8, has 29 more seats in economy class.
The two sold aircraft, the transaction completed by Air Partners, were registered as 5Y-KQG and 5Y-KQH and 14.9 and 14.4 years old respectively and had joined the Kenya Airways fleet between 2002 and 2003.
(Picture courtesy of Planespotters @Renato Serra Fonseca)
This transaction would leave Kenya Airways with, as mentioned above, 8 B737-800’s, 15 Embraer E190’s and 9 Boeing B787 Dreamliners of which two are on a lease to Oman Air for another 1 1/2 years unless the two aircraft will be leased back by KQ as has been suggested to this correspondent but is yet to be confirmed by the airline.
Kenya Airways also operates two converted Boeing B737-300’s as freighters which were phased out from the passenger fleet in 2013, registered as 5Y-KQC/D.
