Kenya’s decade-long journey towards achieving direct flights between Nairobi and New York has finally been achieved, with the inaugural Kenya Airways flight expected to touch down in the US Monday, marking a major milestone in the country’s aviation industry.
The development, which makes Kenya the eighth country on the continent and the first in East Africa to operate direct flights to the US, is seen as a boost to the country’s economy, with focus on trade and tourism.
In Africa, only Morocco, Cape Verde, Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and South Africa have direct flights to the US.
The 16-hour flight cuts the long times passengers have had to endure through transit airports in different continents.
“This has come at the right time for us as we are no longer going to endure the challenges of delay that comes with connecting flights to get home,” said Mr Elly Kemboi a Kenyan living in Ithaca, New York.
Mr Kemboi, however, says Kenya Airways should maintain low fares to attract more passengers who might opt to use other airlines because of the cost.