Kenya Airways signs interline deal with Emirates

Kenya Airways has signed an inter-airline deal with Emirates that will allow passengers of the two airlines to use a single ticket and baggage policy, in a deal likely to boost the fortunes of Kenya’s national carrier.

KQ passengers traveling from Nairobi and Mombasa will connect to 23 destinations in the Emirates network through its hub in Dubai. Destinations include Singapore, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Jakarta.

The deal looks to boost KQ’s numbers amid stiff competition from Ethiopian Airlines, ultimately boosting the push to increase revenue and cut permanent losses.

“This partnership will provide the perfect gateway for our customers as we seek to increase our connectivity between Africa and the Middle East through Emirates’ hub in Dubai,” said Julius Theroux, Chief Commercial and Customer Officer, KQ.

An inter-line deal allows passengers to check-in once for all flights on their itinerary, receive all of their boarding passes and transfer baggage from the first airline to the second without having to pick it up and drop it off again.

The agreement will see Emirates passengers arrive at 28 destinations on the KQ network via Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. Destinations include Kinshasa, Kilimanjaro, Juba and Zanzibar.

Kenya Airways operates flights to Dubai from Nairobi and Mombasa four times a week, while Emirates operates 14 weekly flights between Nairobi and Dubai.

KQ slid to a full-year loss of Sh36.26 billion in the year to December, even as its chairman Michael Joseph remained optimistic the airline would break even at the end of this year and turn a record profit in 2024.

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