Kenya Airways eyes Philippines market

MANILA, Philippines – Kenya Airways, the national carrier of Kenya, seeks to capture a significant share of travellers from Manila going to Africa.

Ven Nee Heng, Kenya Airways marketing manager for Asia and the Pacific who was recently in Manila to promote the airline to local travellers, said Kenya Airlines is known in the African market.

“We have built a strong credibility in the African market,” Heng said.

Furthermore, Regina Laquindanum, general manager for VITA Travel, the general sales agent of Kenya Airways in the Philippines, said the flight from Manila to Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, takes

 approximately 14 hours via Kenya Airways.

There are no direct flights from Manila to Nairobi, so one needs to take a connecting flight from Bangkok, Hanoi, Guangzhou or Hongkong via airline partners.

“It will still be very convenient for you to go to Africa because you don’t have to buy two tickets. Our office can issue a ticket for the whole segment. Your baggage will still be checked through,” she said.

The airline has been in existence for 40 years now with routes to 52 destinations worldwide.

Of the 52 destinations, 42 are in Africa.

Each year, Kenya Airways transports over four million passengers, making it the foremost airline in the continent, Heng said.

The airline has a modern fleet of B787 Dream Liner aircraft. “The Dream Liner is the biggest aircraft in the market,” Heng said.

Furthermore, she said the size and design of the Kenya Airways Dream Liner allows for a state-of-the-art flight deck and advanced aerodynamics that promote safety and efficiency in all phases of the flight.

It is also ideal for long-haul flights because pressure is stabilized inside the aircraft.