Air France has introduced a larger-body aircraft for the Nairobi-Paris route. The airline has replaced its Boeing 787-9 aircraft which has been flying the route with the Airbus A350-900.
“This aircraft brings about 16 percent more seats to Kenya and this implies that we can accommodate further growth in the Kenyan market against increasing demand for Paris and Europe as travel destinations,” said Joris Holtus, the Air France – KLM General Manager for East and Southern Africa, Nigeria, and Ghana.
The Airbus A350-900 accommodates 332 to 352 passengers in a standard three-class configuration, and flies efficiently on everything from short-range segments to ultra-long-range routes of up to 9,700nm (18,000km) non-stop. It has a maximum capacity of up to 440 passengers in a single class layout.
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On the other end, the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner typically seats between 250 and 290 passengers, depending on the airline’s configuration and the number of classes offered. Two-class configurations of economy and business classes accommodates 296 to 330 passengers.
The Airbus A350-900 features business, premium economy, and economy cabins designed for elevated passenger experience. It also supports the plan by the airline to modernize 80 percent of its fleet by 2030. Currently, 25 percent of its fleet consists of new-generation aircraft, with a target of 50 percent by 2025.
“This move also reflects our long-term commitment to the African market and our belief in Nairobi’s pivotal role in shaping the next chapter of aviation across the continent,” said Air France – KLM’s Country Sales Manager, Kenya, Hildabeta Amiani.
The aircraft flies at a cruising altitude of 35,000 feet which is equivalent to 10,700 metres. It has a length of 66.80 metres and a wingspan of 64.75 metres.
The introduction of the flight on this route adds a spanner in the competition for passengers on the Nairobi-Paris route that is also operated by other airlines including Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Lufthansa, Emirates, RwandAir, and KLM.
