NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya Airways expects to return two of its three grounded Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft to service by mid-June, as the airline moves to restore capacity following disruptions that contributed to a multi-billion-shilling loss.
Acting Chief Executive Officer George Kamal said the wide-bodied planes, grounded in the first quarter of 2025, reduced the carrier’s operating capacity by about 20 percent.
According to Kamal, the airline expects to receive two replacement engines in April, followed by one in May and another in June.
The deliveries will allow two of the grounded aircraft to resume operations before the peak travel season.
The third aircraft, he added, is undergoing a heavy maintenance check after reaching 12 years of service.
The grounding of the aircraft is among the factors linked to a Sh5.6 billion loss recorded in the 2025 financial year.
Chief Financial Officer Mary Mwenga said the airline posted revenue of Sh161 billion, representing a 14pc decline from the previous year.
Mwenga attributed the drop to reduced fleet capacity, geopolitical factors, and adverse weather conditions.
“What we operated in 2025 is 80pct of the available capacity. We are still better than 2019, when we recorded Sh128 billion while operating at full capacity,” she said during an investor briefing on Tuesday, March 24.
Despite the challenges, Kamal said the airline expects additional aircraft to strengthen its fleet later this year.
A Boeing 777-300 currently leased to Turkish Airlines is expected to return to Nairobi in July.
The 400-seat aircraft will operate the expanding Nairobi–London Gatwick route and serve as one of the airline’s flagship long-haul planes.
Kenya Airways also plans to lease a 170-seat Boeing 737 Next Generation beginning in November to support regional and medium-haul operations.
Kamal added that the airline is preparing an early booking for a new aircraft after securing an investor, although delivery timelines could stretch between 2030 and 2033 due to manufacturing backlogs.
Board Chairperson Kiprono Kittony said the airline is also raising capital to improve liquidity and stabilize operations.
“As part of the immediate restructuring of the company, it is institutionalising cost optimisation, eliminating non-essential spending and shifting fixed costs into valuable wins when possible,” Kamal said.
Kittony said the airline’s fundamentals remain strong despite current headwinds.
“This is a period of reset and not retreat. We are making decisions today to build a stronger, more resilient future,” he said.
