Nairobi — Kenya Airways (KQ) will introduce the first Accra-Dakar flight next month, targeting corporate travelers, traders and leisure tourists.

The national carrier will fly a B737-800 two times a week from Nairobi via Accra (Ghana) to Dakar (Senegal) and vice versa.

The new connection will offer KQ customers more flight options and choices within West Africa, East Africa besides providing seamless connections through Nairobi to the Middle East, India, China, Europe and USA.

"The new connection will offer our guests more travel and connectivity options within West Africa," KQ Chief Commercial and Customer Officer Julius Thairu said.

"Strategically, the bigger picture is to support the Single African Air Transport Market and the African Continental Free Trade Area which are key pillars for Africa's growth, by growing and deepening our network connections within the continent," he added.

The route will increase Dakar flight options from the current two weekly flights to four and Accra to nine times a week with a night flight out of Nairobi to Accra.

Only last week, KQ said it will start non-stop flights from Mombasa to Dubai on December 15 ahead of Christmas festivities when bookings surge.

KQ said the route will be operated by a Boeing 737-800 to and from Dubai four times a week, starting December 15, 2022.

The route introduction is expected to boost Kenya's coastal region tourism industry through direct access to and from the Middle East.