► KENYA: Kenya Airways' LCC, Jambo Jet, to launch in 1Q 2014 - Naikuni.

Dr Titus Naikuni, the Managing Director of Kenya Airways (KQ), has announced that his airline's Low Cost subsidiary, Jambo Jet, will be operational during the first quarter of 2014. The news comes after Willem Hondius, a former executive with Dutch LCC Transavia, was recently appointed CEO of the startup.

► KENYA: First photos of Kenya Airways' first B777-300ER emerge.

The first photos of Kenya Airways' (KQ) first B777-300(ER) (MSN ? | 5Y-KFA) have emerged with the airliner now set to undergo painting and a B1 test flight ahead of its planned delivery to Nairobi next month. The aircraft, one of two on 12 year-leases with General Electric Capital Aviation Services (GECAS), is set to début operations with a Nairobi - Guangzhou flight due on November 19. 5Y-KFA will feature 28 Business Class seats in a 2-3-2 layout and 369 Economy Class seats in a 3-3-3 Layout. The second B777-300ER is due in May 2014.

► KENYA: Former Transavia exec, Willem Hondius, appointed boss of Kenya Airways' LCC, JamboJet.

The Board of Kenya Airways (KQ) has appointed Willem Alexander Hondius as Chief Executive Officer of Jambo Jet Limited, the airline’s nascent low-cost carrier subsidiary.

■ CONGO (KINSHASA): Korongo boss dismisses reports of Air France/Kinshasa tie up; claims game still on.

Christophe Allard, the managing director of Congolese operator, Korongo Airlines (ZC), has dismissed recent media reports that Kinshasa has reached a definitive agreement with Air France (AF) in which the latter will become a partner in a new Congolese national carrier due in the skies in either late 2013/early 2014.

► CHINA: Kenya Airways announces Guangzhou as début 777-300ER route due in mid November.

Kenya Airways (KQ) is set to launch 3x weekly direct flights from its Nairobi hub to Guanghzhou, China this year using its new Boeing 777-300ER. The aircraft, the first in the fleet, is due in East Africa in mid October in time for its deployment on November 19. At the moment, Kenya Airways flies to Guangzhou via Bangkok, daily.

■ CONGO (KINSHASA): Government once more looking for a strategic partner in its planned national carrier.

Its back to the drawing board for Kinshasa so far as finding a strategic partner for its renewed national carrier is concerned. Accordingly, the country's Minister of Transport, Mr Justin Kalumba, Congo has reissued a tender for interested parties & carriers which closes on August 31.

■ KENYA: Kenya Airways takes $4million knock from Nairobi fire as Kenyatta speeds up Terminal 4's opening.

Kenya Airways (KQ) has suffered USD4million in losses owing to the recent outbreak of fire at Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, CEO Dr Titus Naikuni has said. Despite the erection of tents to process international flights five days after the fire, passengers are still facing long delays and cancellations.

■ KENYA: Kenya Airways releases its Operations Report for Q1 FY2013/14.

Kenya Airways (KQ) has released its Operations Report for the First Quarter of its 2013/14 Financial Year. Overall, the company put into the market place a total capacity of 3'464million seat kilometres which gives a year on year growth of 3.0%.  During this quarter the airline successfully launched three weekly operations into Livingstone, the third destination in Zambia after Lusaka and Ndola.

► BURUNDI: Kenya Airways adds double daily flights to Bujumbura.

Kenya Airways (KQ) has increased its flights between Nairobi and Bujumbura, Burundi with the recent introduction of two daily direct flights; one in the evening and one in the morning operating on board an Embraer E170. Overall, there are now 21 weekly frequencies between the East African capitals.

► NAMIBIA: Kenya Airways, Air Namibia sign codeshare agreement.

Kenya Airways (KQ) and Air Namibia (SW) have announced the signing of a new code-share agreement paving the way for daily connections between the airlines’ Nairobi and Windhoek hubs through Johannesburg in South Africa and Lusaka in Zambia. This code-share agreement with Air Namibia brings the total number of code-share arrangements that Kenya Airways has signed with other international carriers to twenty.

► SEYCHELLES: Kenya Airways adds extra flight to Mahé until late August.

Kenya Airways (KQ) has increased its services between Nairobi and Mahé, Seychelles with effect from July 6 until August 31. The new flight operates on Saturdays and is expected to handle the anticipated rise in demand for flights to the island. Equipment on this route varies according to demand.

■ NIGERIA: Kenya, Nigeria sign revised BASA; Kenya Airways eyes Abuja flights soon.

Kenya Airways (KQ) will "soon" commence direct flights to the Nigerian capital, Abuja, Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced. Mr Kenyatta made the remarks during a recently ended official visit to West Africa in which various trade and bilateral agreements were signed, among them, a revised Air Services Agreement. Speaking during a meeting with Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan, at State House Abuja, he pointed out that tourism was a potentially untapped market in bilateral relations between the two countries.

► SAUDI ARABIA: Kenya Airways to boost Jeddah to 4x weekly from September to November.

Owing to an expected surge in demand during its Hajj & Umrah operations, Kenya Airways (KQ) from 03SEP13 to 10NOV13 is increasing the frequency of its Nairobi – Jeddah service, where it’ll operate 4 weekly flights instead of the current two. The operational aircraft will also change from an Embraer E190 to a Boeing 737-800.

■ KENYA: Regulators grant Kenya Airways/KLM seven-year extension to Unfair Competition exemption.

Kenya Airways (KQ) and 26.73% shareholder, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL), have been granted a seven-year extension to their Unfair Trade practices exemption by the Competition Authority of Kenya, having applied in February. The moratorium, introduced when KLM acquired a stake in the Kenyan national carrier back in 1996, prevents competitors from accusing them of unfair trade practices. 

► GREECE: Kenya Airways 777 diverts to Athens following cargo-bay fire warning in mid flight.

A Kenya Airways Boeing 777-200ER (MSN 33683 | 5Y-KQS), operating as flight KQ117 en route from Amsterdam to Nairobi on Saturday July 6, was forced to make an emergency landing in Athens after a cargo-bay fire warning indication alarm sounded in mid flight.

► ABU DHABI: Etihad announces additions to its SAA, Kenya Airways codesharing.

Abu Dhabi-based carrier, Etihad (EY) has outlined further changes to its previously announced codeshare agreements with South African Airways (SA) and Kenya Airways (KQ). The additions are set to come into effect from July 1.

■ KENYA: Kenya Airways renegotiates its MRO contracts in bid to cut costs.

Fresh from announcing its latest Financial Year results which entailed a USD92million loss, Kenya Airways (KQ) has announced further cost cutting measures aimed at returning the struggling carrier to the black within the next two years with news that it has renegotiated its aircraft MRO (Maintenance Repair Overhaul) contracts to its benefit.

► KENYA: Royal Air Maroc to tap into Kenyan market before year end.

Royal Air Maroc (AT) has once more announced plans to begin flights between Casablanca and Nairobi, Kenya. In a statement made in Nairobi at the signing of various bilateral trade agreements between Morocco and Kenya, Moroccan Minister for Industry and Trade, Mr Abdelkader Amara, said RAM would introduce direct flights to Nairobi "by the end of the year."

■ KENYA: Kenya Airways considers setting up own fuel hedging firm.

Kenya Airways (KQ) is considering setting up a fuel procurement company as part of extensive measures aimed at stemming mounting losses incurred over the past two years. The Kenyan national carrier recently announced a USD92million loss for its 2012/13 Financial Year which it blamed on "harsh economic and geopolitical conditions" coupled with a global economic slowdown and volatile global oil prices.  

■ SOUTH AFRICA: New SAA plan to be made public in late July/August as Ethiopian, Kenya Airways send out feelers.

Monwabisi Kalawe has outlined his first steps taken as the new South African Airways (SA) boss stating that he was aiming for a late July/early August public announcement of his airline's tentative Turnaround Plan #9, currently undergoing South African Cabinet scrutiny.