Jet fuel purchases by airlines increased by 11.1 percent last year, signaling an increase in trips as demand for air travel continues its recovery from the shocks of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Official data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows airlines bought 661,100 tonnes of jet fuel last year, a significant jump from the 594,520 tonnes the previous year.
While it is the highest volume of jet fuel sales since 2020, it is still lower than the 699,400 tonnes sold in 2019, indicating that the sector is yet to fully recover to its pre-pandemic level.
The industry has, however, been on an upward trajectory over the last three years, recording an annual increase in passenger numbers and cargo volumes.
This has been a timely boost for airlines whose earnings had taken a beating from the pandemic even as they continue to face increased jet fuel prices. According to KNBS data which was sourced from the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), the number of travelers who visited Kenya through the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and the Moi International Airport went up by 25.6 percent.
The two airports, which are Kenya’s largest, received 1.5 million passengers cumulatively last year, marking a sharp growth from 1.19 million in the previous year.
The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, the aviation sector regulator, is yet to release aircraft movements data for 2023. But based on the jet fuel consumption data, this number is likely to continue its growth trajectory.
For instance, in 2022, the total number of domestic and international takeoffs and landings as well as overflights grew to 323,421 up from 253,981 in the previous year.
This marked a third consecutive increase since 2020.
“The increased activity through Kenya airspace was due to improved performance of aviation industry occasioned by a recovery in economic activities coupled with easing of Covid-19 restrictions,” said KNBS in the Economic Survey, 2023.
Dozens of international and domestic passenger and cargo airlines operate in Kenya.
Increased demand for air travel has seen new airlines join the market, the most recent being India’s budget carrier IndiGo and West African airline ASKY Airlines which started flights to and from Kenya last year.
