Kenya Airways will launch flights between Gatwick and Nairobi from the start of July.
The thrice-weekly evening service to and from the south London airport will complement the carrier’s existing flights from Heathrow.
Flight KQ108 will depart Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Wednesday at 2345, and Friday and Sunday at 2340, arriving into Gatwick at 0655 and 0650 the following day respectively.
The return leg KQ109 will depart Gatwick on Monday at 1210, Thursday at 1100, and Saturday at 1225, arriving into Nairobi at 2305, 2155 and 2320 respectively.
The group’s managing director and CEO Allan Kilavuka said that the new route was “just the beginning of our expansion plans for the UK market”.
“The United Kingdom is essential and strategic for Kenya Airways and Kenya, said Kilavuka.
“It provides a gateway for trade, tourism, education, business, leisure travel, and diaspora connections. We are excited to add Gatwick Airport to our expansive network as it means that KQ guests now have more options in and out of the UK and a convenient schedule that suits their travel preferences.”
Kenya Airways currently operates daily flights between Nairobi and Heathrow – it has previously operated a double daily service to the airport, and indeed in 2023 it was reported that the carrier was returning to two flights per day.
Back in 2016 Kenya Airways sold its Heathrow for a reported record sum of $75 million to Oman Air, meaning it now leases slots from other carriers for its Heathrow service.
Last year the carrier established a codeshare agreement with fellow SkyTeam member Virgin Atlantic, enabling Kenya Airways customers to connect via Heathrow onto a number of Caribbean destinations served by Virgin Atlantic including Barbados, The Bahamas, Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines.
