Kenya Airways is attempting to bring back grounded aircraft before the mid-year peak after falling back into the red in 2025.
With an operating loss of KSh5.6 billion (US$43 million) and a net loss of KSh17.1 billion, the airline went back into the red in 2024, according to full-year results announced in late March.
The decline came as revenue fell to KSh161 billion, a 14% year-over-year decline as passenger volumes were hampered by capacity restrictions.
Due to an 18% decrease in available seat capacity, traffic dropped to 4.6 million passengers from 5.2 million the year before. Aircraft groundings connected to continuous supply chain disruption, especially a lack of engines, were the main cause of the shortfall.
Widebody limitations were particularly severe. Throughout the year, a number of long-haul aircraft, notably many Boeing 787 Dreamliners, were out of service, which restricted the airline’s capacity to run higher-yield intercontinental routes.
The management’s current focus is on returning those aircraft gradually. Three aircraft—two Boeing 737s and one Embraer 190—have been reintroduced by the airline since December, but a number of other aircraft are still grounded till engines are delivered or maintenance is finished.
In the upcoming months, more engines are anticipated, allowing both regional and long-haul aircraft to gradually return. Before full capacity is restored later in the year, the airline hopes to approach the peak summer season with the majority of its fleet back in service, leaving only a small number of planes unavailable.
Chairman Kiprono Kittony pointed to the ongoing strength in travel appetite and stated that operational interruption rather than lackluster demand was the main cause of the poorer financial result. Additionally, the airline wants to collect traffic flows that have been altered by geopolitical issues that impact rival hubs.
The timetable for recuperation will be crucial. Peak travel times account for a disproportionate part of airlines’ yearly profits, and any delay in capacity restoration runs the danger of locking in more revenue deficits. The carrier must recover passenger volumes and network reliability following a period of restricted operations, even with the reintroduction of aircraft.