Lagos — Virgin's Airbus 340-300 landed, for the first time, in Nairobi, commencing a daily flight schedule between London and Kenya, as the airline's inaugural flight from London landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, last weekend.

The aircraft, reportedly filled to capacity, was greeted at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by Kenya's Vice President, Moody Awori, who personally welcomed Virgin chief executive, Richard Branson, off the aircraft. The tourism and aviation industry from Kenya and the region was also represented at the airport for the welcoming ceremony.

Branson projected in his official address that traffic between the United Kingdom and Kenya would grow by a quarter and that the economy would feel the injection of about US$100 million per year value into the economy as a result of the new connection.

Nairobi is the fourth African destination for the airline group from the UK and will benefit from Virgin's extensive US connections, allowing North American visitors to reach East Africa on Virgin with a single stop in London.

The cost of travel from Europe to East Africa and vice versa is expected to be reduced, making travel more affordable and tapping into new market segments. However, for the forthcoming high season, all flights are, nevertheless, expected to be fully booked once more, inspite of other airlines like Swiss and Brussels Airlines having added more flights between their home bases and Nairobi. All of East Africa is expected to benefit from the extra traffic now brought into the region via Nairobi.