Kenya Airways (KQ) has marked five years since the introduction of direct flights from Nairobi to New York, being the only airline offering non-stop direct links from East Africa to the United States of America (USA).
Over 300,000 passengers and 6,000 tonnes of cargo have been airlifted on the route through some 1,700 flights, covering a distance of around 72,000 kilometres.
“It has been an incredible 5 years of connecting our guests between Nairobi and New York. This route is of paramount importance to Kenya Airways as it serves as the fastest and most vital connection for our guests within the travel and tourism industry, the business community, and governments of both countries,” said KQ Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Allan Kilavuka.
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“We look forward to the continuation of providing convenient onward connections for our guests to various destinations in Africa and the U.S. and actively contributing to the socio-economic development of Kenya and the broader African continent,” added the KQ boss.
The Nairobi – New York route is strategic for Kenya as it links the East Africa region to the USA and the greater North America region for social and economic growth through trade, education, medical, sports, and leisure travel.
According to statistics from the U.S. Embassy, Kenya’s largest export market is the U.S. and in 2022, the country exported $890 million in goods to the U.S. while the U.S. exported around $600 million in goods to Kenya underscoring the importance of connectivity between the two regions.
The USA is also a key tourist source market and in 2022, over 200,000 visitors from the United States arrived in Kenya.
Beginning December 1, 2023, the national carrier will introduce daily flights on the Nairobi- New York route to support the growing demand.
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