Kenya Airways reports reasons for record congestion as passengers divert from disrupted Gulf airspace
Kenya Airways plans to add more flights after demand surged to record levels during the Middle East conflict, with seat availability reaching 99% on some routes, acting Chief Executive Officer George Kamal has said.
Demand has increased significantly since February as more passengers switch to the company’s routes, Kamal said.
“We were like this… until February. Then it increased a lot. We reached 90% total, 90, 99 (%),” the airline official was quoted by local media as saying on Monday.
“It’s a first for this time of year,” Kamal said. “We are already looking to increase the frequency and we will.”
The airline said the biggest growth comes from long-haul markets including Europe, the US and Asia, which are now ramping up its network performance.
“Those routes are contributing very, very well, to our network now,” Kamal added.
Air travel in the Middle East region has been severely disrupted since the start of the conflict caused by the US and Israeli attacks on Iran, with many countries closing their airspace and airlines canceling flights. Iran, Israel, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates all imposed full or partial airspace restrictions after the first strikes, forcing the planes to turn back or turn back.
Airports across the region were also affected, with some suspending operations and others operating under severe restrictions.
According to The Guardian newspaper, citing industry officials and flight tracking services, many carriers have adjusted flight routes through Turkey, the Caucasus, or through the Red Sea and East Africa, thereby increasing travel time and costs.
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