Kenya Airways orders new Boeing aircraft

NAIROBI – Kenya Airways has ordered six new Boeing Co. 787-8 aircraft to replace its current 767s, the airline’s chief executive said on Tuesday.

“We’ve ordered six aircraft and signed up for an option for an additional four units,” Titus Naikuni told a news conference. “Two will be delivered in 2010 and the next four aircraft in 2011.”He could not give the cost of the purchases but said the company was already in talks with lenders.The airline, one of the Africa’s best-performing carriers, posted after-tax profit of 2,2 billion shillings (US$29,90 million) in the six months to September 2005, up from 1,5 billion in the same period the previous year.The airline is 26 per cent owned by Air France KLM’s Dutch arm, KLM.With a fleet of 21 planes, the carrier registered a 27 per cent growth in cargo tonnage in the last quarter of 2005 and launched an express cargo service to London last month.It ordered its fourth 777-200ER in November 2005 and recently announced plans to lease three 737-800s.The carrier’s passenger increased by 23 per cent in the first half of its fiscal year after it started using bigger Boeing 777 aircraft on routes to Europe, Asia, Middle East, West and Southern Africa.- Nampa-Reuters”Two will be delivered in 2010 and the next four aircraft in 2011.”He could not give the cost of the purchases but said the company was already in talks with lenders.The airline, one of the Africa’s best-performing carriers, posted after-tax profit of 2,2 billion shillings (US$29,90 million) in the six months to September 2005, up from 1,5 billion in the same period the previous year.The airline is 26 per cent owned by Air France KLM’s Dutch arm, KLM.With a fleet of 21 planes, the carrier registered a 27 per cent growth in cargo tonnage in the last quarter of 2005 and launched an express cargo service to London last month.It ordered its fourth 777-200ER in November 2005 and recently announced plans to lease three 737-800s.The carrier’s passenger increased by 23 per cent in the first half of its fiscal year after it started using bigger Boeing 777 aircraft on routes to Europe, Asia, Middle East, West and Southern Africa.- Nampa-Reuters