The pride of Africa Kenya Airways (KQ) has cut back the number of the recently introduced direct daily flights between Nairobi and America’s city New York citing a drop in demand for flights plying the long-haul route. The airline reportedly rescheduled at least 10 flights which had been scheduled to fly between November and March 2019.
The national carrier’s winter season schedule commenced on October 28 when the much publicised direct flights between Nairobi and New York were officially launched. “The winter schedule for all our flights took effect from October 28, 2018. It will run until March 30, 2019. We have cancelled flights that are not commercially viable. The cuts are part of the normal operational decisions,” the airline said.
The move has, however, not gone down well with a section of Kenyans who could not quite understand why the demand had dipped a few weeks after the launch of the direct flights and at a time the country is expecting more visitors. Below are some of the reactions following KQ’s notification on the reduced number of direct flights between Nairobi and New York.
Morning @ahmednasirlaw …We were abused & trolled when we dampened the irrational exuberance over Nairobi – New York Flight. Kenya must first develop a big middle class that can fly daily. The Middle Class in Kenya is very small . It’s why we can’t sustain real upscale Malls. pic.twitter.com/jeZMclZASV
— Donald B Kipkorir (@DonaldBKipkorir) November 14, 2018
There’s thousands of Kenyans who vacation every year in Kenya. Sadly, KQ did not market to this large Kenyan market.
KQ should have patnered with tour operators to bus/fly kenyans from Mass, Atlanta, Texas, midwest to New york for direct flights to Nairobi— Lenny Kibe (@LennyKibe) November 14, 2018
Abit offside, does this mean KQ will have to pay for the empty slot in new York or was there a deal to rent the slot out. These slots r hard to get. Ama watu wa saints cannot think past the golf course bar that their daddy owns?? https://t.co/bsMz5J53Wx
— Political Action PAC (@ActionKenyaPAC) November 14, 2018