Typically, airlines make growth plans in 5-to-10-year cycles. Such plans are necessary for three primary reasons: to harness growing passenger numbers, maintain a modern efficient fleet and deliver the best flying experience to customers.
The global travel industry continues to make tremendous progress in recovering from the inimical effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Airports Council International (ACI), in a travel advisory bulletin, projects global passenger volumes to be approximately 8.6 billion passengers by the end of 2023. This is 94.2 per cent of the 2019 level. The same bulletin estimates global passenger traffic to surpass its pre-COVID levels by 105 per cent in 2024.
Yet these numbers come with passengers who are increasingly aware of aspects that separate one airline from another. It is no longer enough for a plane to be safe and reliable. It must also come with the latest features in terms of inflight entertainment and a seating configuration that delivers a memorable experience whether for short or long-haul flights.
It is for these reasons that airlines around the world are preparing accordingly. There has been a marked increase in aircraft orders with leading manufacturers registering impressive figures. At the recently concluded Dubai Air Show, Emirates Airlines placed aircraft orders worth USD 52 billion. Ethiopian Airlines and Boeing have announced an agreement for the purchase of 67 aircraft comprising 36 firm orders and 41 options across the 737 and 787 families.
Kenya Airways has not been left behind. It has great plans to ensure that it maintains its ascendancy on the African continent. An article from CH-Aviation mentions that the airline “looks to double its fleet by 2033”. One detects an ambitious but rather cautious approach to their expansion drive. Perhaps having learnt from Project Mawingu which ran into headwinds, the board and management appear to be more circumspect about their appetite for expansion.
Ethiopian Airlines bans popular West African bags from its flights
Certainly, Kenya Airway’s decision to augment its fleet by starting with its cargo division is driven by sound rationale. The smart money is on the cargo business. During the pandemic when international travel was closed to all but cargo flights, KQ had to repurpose one of its passenger planes to meet the demand for cargo business.
CH-Aviation says, “Kenya Airways has taken delivery of its first B737-800 freighter and plans to add a second unit of the type by February 2024.”
Now that KQ appears to have finally dotted the i’s and crossed the t’s operationally, it is also necessary to add to its passenger planes. Anecdotal evidence reveals the airline to be booked solid for the remainder of the year well into next year.
Further, information from Boeing Analytx reveals that KQ’s Boeing 737 fleet was considered the best utilized globally in August this year, rolling back three months. The airline’s Embraer fleet was voted 4th best in the world for the same reason. If the national carrier hopes to increase its frequencies and footprint across multiple destinations, it must add to its fleet.
It must also take on planes with the latest Information, Communication and Entertainment features to be at par with the industry’s best.
The world has come a long way from when mobile phones had to be switched off for the duration of a flight, to present times when most airlines allow phone access at a few and free Wi-Fi for internet connections.