NAIROBI, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Kenya Airways plans to expand its international routes to help grow passenger numbers and cargo revenues as part of its turnaround program.
Sebastian Mikosz, CEO of Kenya Airways, revealed that plans are underway to start direct flights to Beijing later this year when the new Beijing Daxing International Airport is opened.
"We consider this route expansion to be quite essential to our turnaround program. These new routes will play an important role in facilitating more business and tourism opportunities and strengthening Nairobi as the top business hub," Mikosz said in a statement issued in Nairobi on Tuesday.
This came after the national carrier launched flights to Rome, Italy and Geneva, Switzerland last week, targeting the high number of tourists and business travelers on these routes.
Mikosz said Kenya Airways will this year see the return of its ninth B787-8 from Oman Air, as scheduled, to support the network expansion into Rome and Geneva.
He said the airline will operate the new routes four times weekly using its flagship aircraft Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
The carrier said it commenced direct fights between Nairobi and Malindi this week, the primary destination for most Italian tourists and also home to a large proportion of the Italian community in Kenya.
