twitter Facebook Linkedin acp Contact Us

Kenya Airways takes delivery of first Dreamliner

Kenya Airways will take delivery of nine Dreamliner 787s by July 2015. (Image source: Boeing)

Kenya Airways has acquired the first of the nine Dreamliner 787 jets it expects to receive from Boeing by July 2015

Under the Mawingu Project, Kenya Airways (KQ) has embarked on a 10-year fleet expansion plan, increasing its capacity and boosting its air traffic market share in Africa.

"The next Dreamliner delivery shall be in July, then August, September and the final one for this year in October when we will take a break until next year," observed KQ chief executive officer Titus Naikuni.

Naikuni observed that officials from the company had visited other operators with the Dreamliner and assured passengers of 98 per cent safety levels.

Officials note that Dreamliner jets have more cargo space and have a greater fuel efficiency – achieved by increased use of lighter plastic materials in the place of metals.

The 787-8 models use 20 per cent less fuel than traditional aircraft and have the capacity to carry between 210 and 250 passengers on routes of between 14,200km and 15,200km, according to KQ officials.

"The Dreamliner is both environmentally friendly and economical, and we embrace the benefits of its design," said Naikuni.

The jet's first assignment will be the Nairobi-Paris route as the airline expands its European destinations currently served by aging Boeing 767s.

Over the next 10 years the national carrier intends to increase its fleet from the current 44 to 119 and its network coverage from 58 to 115 routes.

The Far East appears to be the favourite destinations for expansion, with plans to launch seven new routes to China, six to the Indian sub-continent and three across northern and south-east Asia.

The fleet expansion will aim to take advantage of the ongoing construction of a second runway at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Upon its completion in 2017, the new Greenfield Terminal will increase the passenger capacity from the 6.5 million to 20 million.

With annual passenger growth at 12 per cent, it has been estimated that by 2020 passenger numbers will reach to 17.1 million and grow to 35.3 million by 2030.

Officials from the Kenya Airport Authority acknowledged that terminal four would be operational by July 2014 with a new arrival terminal ready by the end of 2015.

Mwangi Mumero

READ MORE...

World Bank to fund repair works at Kenya’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport

Hospitality sector in East Africa sees a boom with tourism expansion and oil discoveries

Construction starts on Greenfield Terminal at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport

The Bell team in Richards Bay consists of more than 800 machinists, welders, and assemblers. (Image source: Bell)

GFE Power Product’s extensive range covers generators from 10 kVA up to 3,000 kVA. (Image source: GFE Power Products)

The funding is the largest-ever equity raise in the minigrid industry according to Husk. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

The initiative will help African contractors participate in annual infrastructure investments. (Image source: Afreximbank)

ITS has evolved into a sophisticated systems approach, providing numerous opportunities to revolutionise road networks. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Invest International’s Lara Muller; Ivory Coast Minister of Finance and Economy, Adam Coulibaly; and Ambassador Designate to Ivory Coast, Jeroen Kelderhuis. (Image source: Invest International)

The Yellow Metal Machine Rental team with some Wacker Neuson equipment. (Image source: Wacker Neuson)

Although displaying resilience, the report warns that African banks remain exposed to physical climate risks due to both sovereign and industry lending. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

WAA and VCMI will seek to establish regulatory frameworks to enable access to high integrity and fair voluntary carbon markets for WAA member countries. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

The parties will also promote the mutual exchange of information and expertise in the field of export credit policies and practices. (Image source: TBD Group)

Inside Condra’s Johannesburg factory: an overhead crane positions an electric motor during assembly of hoist and crab. (Image source: Condra)

IVECO is renewing its entire product range, all at once. (Image source: IVECO)

The MoU was signed alongside the Africa Health Business Symposium. (Image source: Africa CDC)

Both the IMF and EIU expect SSA to rank as the world’s second fastest growing economy in 2024. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

There has been a focus on the sugar industry. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Evolving concept of energy security must address energy demand, system flexibility, technology access and infrastructure development, says IRENA. (Image source: IRENA)

World Bank & African Development Bank partner to provide electricity access to 300 million Africans by 2030, leveraging public-private investments. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

At WFES, Gotion High-tech will showcase its latest products and leading green energy solutions at its booth. (Image source: Gotion High-tech)

The new Perkins 5012 is a full-authority electronic engine optimised and purpose-built for power generation applications. (Image source: Perkins)

SSAB will begin deliveries of the new products in 2026.

The key issues restricting sub-Saharan Africa’s manufacturing sector will be unpacked at Manufacturing Indaba later this year. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Hyphen is developing sub-Saharan Africa’s largest, most advanced and only fully-vertical integrated green hydrogen project. (Image source: Hyphen)

According to Liebherr, the Used Equipment Marketplace is extremely user-friendly. (Image source: Liebherr)

Electricity storage will be pivotal in unlocking renewable projects and meeting energy demand. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Africa Data Centres and DPA SA have broken ground on their solar farm in the Free State. (Image source: Africa Data Centres)

A Cat PM310 Cold Planer in action. (Image source: Caterpillar)

A larger stockholding of WEG products facilitates ready access for customers. (Image source: WEG Africa)

African nations have turned to the concept of power pools to address the continent's energy deficit and foster regional cooperation. (Image source: Synergy Consulting)

Dietmar Siersdorfer is expanding his role as Middle East managing director at Siemens Energy to include Africa. (Image source: Siemens Energy)

The Msikaba Bridge has anchor blocks 17 m wide which contain around 21,000 tons of concrete. (Image source: Sanral)