Kenya Airways suspends planned flights to Italy and Younde, gives reason

The airline blamed the suspension on low passenger demand, due to the impact of the pandemic.
In the meantime, the airline said it will keep serving Italy through other European destinations such as London and Amsterdam.
Recall that Kenya Airways had, in October last year, signed a code share agreement with British Airways to be able to connect 26 European cities.

Kenya Airways has announced the suspension of planned flights to Italy and ongoing flights to Younde, as a result of low passenger demand for these destinations.

The airline had earlier planned to fully resume flights to Italy this coming June. However, it said on Monday that “the postponement is in light of reduced passenger demand as a result of slower than expected recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic”.

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Business Insider Africa understands that the airline's initial schedule was to fly twice to Italy on Wednesdays and Sundays.

The airline had, in 2019, re-introduced the Italian route following a 7-year break, as it sought to take advantage of an increase in passenger traffic between Europe and Africa.

Last year, Kenya Airways expanded its code share agreement with Alitalia Airline. The deal created additional connectivity for both airlines, allowing their customers to fly seamlessly to their destinations. Business Daily reported that the code share agreement also made it possible for travelers to have more travel options and better flight schedules.

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While the postponement of flights to Italy lasts, Kenya Airways said it will keep serving Italy through other European destinations such as London and Amsterdam, by connecting to other partner airlines such as Air France-KLM and Italia Transporto Aereo.

READ: Kenya Airways flights will now connect 26 European cities, thanks to a new agreement with British Airways

Business Insider Africa reported last October that Kenya Airways had signed a code share agreement with British Airways to be able to connect 26 European cities.

Kenya Airways is one of Africa's leading airlines and transports about four million air travelers to more than forty one destinations both within and outside Africa every year. The airline recently received two awards at the 2021 World Travel Awards - Africa's Leading Airline and Africa's Leading Airline (Business Class).

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Unfortunately, the airline has also recently been grappling with financial troubles. As Business Insider Africa previously reported, the Nairobi-based airline has been relying on government bailouts to survive.

READ: As hopes for Kenya Airways' nationalisation bid falters, the airline is now seeking to restructure its many debts

NOTE: The headline has been updated to reflect that only flights to Younde were suspended, not flights to the rest of Cameroon.