Kenya Airways to focus on Asia, with new Beijing and Shanghai routes, as 787s and more 777s arrive

Kenya Airways is planning major expansion of its Asian operation as the carrier rapidly expands and renews its widebody fleet. The flag carrier plans to launch two new destinations in China, Beijing and Shanghai, by the end of 2014 and add at least one destination in Southeast Asia in 2015.

Kenya Airways is taking delivery at the end of Mar-2014 of the first of nine 787-8s, all of which are slated to arrive by the end of 2015. The SkyTeam carrier is also taking delivery of two additional 777-300ERs in mid-2014. Its total widebody fleet will expand from 11 aircraft currently to 16 by the end of 2015, with almost all of the additional capacity being allocated to Asia.

Kenya Airways joins rival Ethiopian Airways in tapping surging demand in the Asia-Africa market. The carrier has improved the African connections available to its growing Asian passenger base by increasing frequencies through the utilisation of smaller aircraft.