Kenya Airways faces a turbulent period as the grounding of its second high-capacity aircraft, the Boeing 787, continues to cause costly delays and flight cancellations.

Kenya's flagship carrier has been grappling with capacity constraint in recent months amid rising demand from passengers, the delays and cancellations is expected to impact the airline's ability to capitalise on summer sales, a crucial period for the aviation industry.

Summer, typically spanning from June to September, marks the peak season for airlines, characterised by a surge in bookings as travelers from around the globe embark on summer vacations.

However, Kenya Airways may struggle to fully leverage this period due to the ongoing operational disruptions caused by the grounding of high-capacity aircraft.

The airline issued a statement, acknowledging the disruptions and attributing them to the extended grounding of two of its 787 Dreamliners due to delayed engine and engine components delivery, coupled with the unavailability of flight crew for certain regional flights.

One of the Boeing planes has been grounded since last year for lack of spare parts, forcing the carrier to lease an Airbus to increase capacity.

In response to the challenges, the carrier outlined a series of quick actions aimed at mitigating the impact on passengers

These include deadjusting its network to accommodate the operational constraints, expedited efforts to recover the grounded aircraft and adjusting flight schedules, including downgrading some services, to minimise disruptions.

"We sincerely apologise to the customers who have been inconvenienced by these delays," Kenya Airways expressed in its statement, reaffirming its commitment to prioritise passenger safety and crew well-being.

The airline assured its patrons that it is diligently working to resolve the situation promptly and efficiently.

Kenya Airways had anticipated that its network will return to normalcy by May 21, 2024, following the receipt and installation of the necessary engines and components.

The disruptions come at a critical time for Kenya Airways, which, like many airlines globally, has been striving to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the aviation industry.