Kenya: KQ to Retrieve Boeing 777 On Lease to Turkish Airlines

By John Kennedy Otieno

Nairobi — Kenya Airways (KQ) plans to return to service a Boeing 777 aircraft that is currently sub-leased to Turkish Airlines as it moves to boost network capacity and support its recovery strategy.

In an interview with AeroTimes, KQ Acting Group Managing Director George Kamal said the airline is in advanced discussions to recall the wide-body aircraft, which will be redeployed on high-demand long-haul routes, particularly the Nairobi-London sector.

The move comes as the national carrier shifts into a growth phase following its return to profitability in 2024, when it posted a net profit of Sh5.4 billion after more than a decade of losses.

However, Kamal noted that aircraft availability remains a challenge due to global supply chain disruptions that have affected maintenance cycles, grounding part of the airline's Dreamliner fleet.

Recalling the Boeing 777 is expected to provide immediate capacity relief, enhance operational resilience, and allow KQ to better serve premium and high-yield markets. The airline is also evaluating the possibility of leasing an additional wide-body aircraft to support future expansion into Asia or North America.

Alongside the wide-body strategy, KQ is reviewing its narrow-body operations, with plans to gradually replace Embraer E190 jets with larger Boeing 737 aircraft to address payload and baggage constraints common on regional African routes.

The fleet changes form part of KQ's broader turnaround and expansion plan, which includes raising up to about Sh64 billion to fund fleet growth, route expansion, and increased cargo capacity over the medium term.

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