KENYA AIRWAYS OPERATING PERFORMANCE; 2nd QTR – JULY to SEPT 2011

Kenya Airways releases its operating results for the second quarter ended 30th Sep 2011.

The company put into the market place capacity totalling 3,639m seat kilometres which was 7.3% better than last year’s level as a result of incremental destinations launched in the second half of 2010 to Rome (Italy), Nampula (Mozambique) and Malindi (Kenya) while N’Djamena (Chad) and Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) were launched in the first half of 2011.

Capacity offered into Europe registered an 8.6% growth compared to the same quarter of prior year as a result of introducing direct flights to Rome and operating double daily weekend flights on London route. The capacity into Middle East, Far East and India regions grew by 9.7% compared to last year. Bombay registered the highest growth in these regions at 26.4% due to the deployment of B777 in July and August 2011 compared to B767 operated in prior year.

The Northern Africa region grew by 8.1% in capacity owing to the introduction of double dailies to Juba in Southern Sudan on the Embraer aircraft to meet the rising demand for business travellers. Capacity availed into the East African region shrunk by 13.3% compared to last year due to cancellation of night flights to Zanzibar as a result of low demand and operating combined flights to Bujumbura and Kigali as opposed to direct flights evidenced last year.

Capacity offered in the Central Africa region grew by 5.4% mainly from increased frequencies to Bangui, Libreville via Douala and Brazzaville route connecting through Kinshasa. Capacity in Southern Africa grew by 5.4% due to introduction of Nampula in December 2010 and increased frequencies to Harare and Maputo. West Africa capacity grew by 8.6% mainly from increased operations on Bamako Dakar and the introduction of Ouagadougou and N’Djamena via Cotonou.

In the Domestic front, capacity grew by 35.4% compared to same period prior year largely due to introduction of the Mombasa Shuttle from November 2010 averaging 10 daily flights and the re-introduction of Malindi flights. Kisumu registered a 28.6% growth in capacity through increased frequencies. The route has an average of 20 flights per week.

Uptake of total production at 2,831m revenue passenger kilometres represented a 14.8% growth compared to last year. The total passenger tally, which closed on 1,004,476 increased by 18.2% on prior year resulting to an average cabin factor of 77.8% from last year’s level of 72.7%.

Cargo tonnage at 16,021 increased by 13.5% compared to last year’s level emphasizing an improved business environment and increased sales efforts.

Passenger uplift to Europe at 158,247 indicates an 11.0% year on year growth on the back of a 8.6% capacity growth resulting to 83.3% seat occupancy level.

In the Middle East, Far East and India regions uplifted passenger traffic at 133,833, showed an increase of 18.7% against a capacity growth of 9.7%. The realised cabin factor of 88.3% was 5.9 points better than prior year.