Kenya Airways 'confident' about China's air travel market

Noting that it is highly confident in the growth potential of China's air travel market, Kenya Airways, the national airline of Kenya, said it plans to launch direct flights connecting Nairobi and Beijing Daxing International Airport next year to meet growing travel demand.

This summer, a peak season for travel, many lodges and hotels in Kenya have already been fully booked.

Kenya Airways said it has seen an increasing number of Chinese passengers on its flights, and it expects a very good performance this summer.

The airline said it sees Chinese visitors traveling in smaller groups, including individual travelers, friends and couples going on adventures, as they look for new experiences.

"As China continues to prosper economically, we will see a lot of leisure travelers from China, as people are looking for new experiences, and Africa offers new and diverse experiences, especially with younger travelers and Gen Z consumers …I'm very, very positive," said Julius Thairu, chief commercial and customer officer of Kenya Airways.

"We are already fully recovered from COVID-19 and we continue to see an increasing number of Chinese travelers to Africa. Now, we are going into the high season, from June to September. The weather is cooler, and people love that weather when they are out in the wild safari," Thairu said.

He added that the airline has also seen an increasing number of business travelers as many Chinese companies are investing in Africa.

The new flight connecting Nairobi and Beijing will be its first direct connection between the two capitals.

The new route will act as an air bridge linking two great cities and two great peoples, Thairu said, adding that he is confident that the next 20 years will see an even greater exchange of goodwill between Africa and China.

Last year, more than 90,000 Chinese travelers visited Kenya, up 47.4 percent over the previous year, a record high, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife of Kenya.

With about 60 percent to 70 percent of Chinese passengers on the flights connecting the two countries, Kenya Airways introduced more than 20 Chinese-speaking crew members on board a couple of months ago. Thus, it makes sure that on every flight, there are about two to three Chinese-speaking crew members to provide better experiences for Chinese passengers.

This year is the 20th anniversary of Kenya Airways' operations in China, and the airline said it is proud to facilitate the soaring growth in trade between China and Africa.

In 2005, the carrier launched its first weekly flight connecting Nairobi and Guangzhou, Guangdong province. The route is now being operated five times a week, transporting tourists and traders from China and African countries.

Besides, Kenya Airways has launched a strategic partnership with State-owned China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines to make sure that it can connect to all the cities in China, it said.

The carrier has continued to see a growing number of Kenyan visitors coming to China, as the nation has been easing visa requirements for Kenyan citizens.

"We have also seen an increase of African students coming to China, because there are a number of educational initiatives supported by the Chinese government," Thairu said.

International Air Transport Association data showed that total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers, was up 8 percent year-on-year in April. Total capacity, measured in available seat kilometers, edged up 6.5 percent in the same period.

"April was a positive month for travel. Growth strengthened, especially for international demand, which saw record load factors for the month. The return of the trans-Atlantic market to growth is particularly encouraging," said Willie Walsh, director-general of the IATA.

African airlines saw a 13.6 percent year-on-year increase in demand in April, while capacity was up 8.9 percent year-on-year, the IATA said.