Transport
Kenya airways targets bigger share of Europe with airBaltic deal
Wednesday October 04 2023
Kenya Airways planes at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. FILE PHOTO | NMG
Kenya Airways (KQ) has signed an interline deal with airBaltic (BT), the flag carrier of Latvia, that will allow passengers of the two airlines to use a single ticket and baggage in what looks set to boost the fortunes of Kenya’s national carrier.
Under the agreement, KQ will extend its reach in Europe via Amsterdam, Paris, and Dubai.
The agreement further enables airBaltic passengers to book a ticket to Nairobi and enjoy seamless connections to KQ destinations across Africa.
Read: KQ marks a decade in losses, eyes profit next year
The deal will boost KQ’s passenger numbers which grew to 2.3 million in the half-year ended June 2023 from 1.6 million in a similar period last year, a move that is likely to bolster the push to grow revenues and cut perennial losses.
An interline deal allows passengers to check in once for all the flights on the itinerary, receive all boarding passes and transfer luggage from an airline to the second.
“This partnership gives us an opportunity to explore and extend our reach in Europe, further diversifying our routes as we work towards serving our customers better. Our aim is to provide connectivity for Kenya Airways customers and provide them with more travel choices across Europe,” said KQ chief commercial and customer officer Julius Thairu in a statement on Wednesday.
Read: Kenya Airways sinks into worst-ever loss of Sh38bn
The partnership is expected to unlock new opportunities and strengthen Kenya-Latvia ties.
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