Delta Air Lines Expands Partnership with Kenya Airways for More Frequent Flier Benefits

Delta Air Lines (DL) has expanded its codeshare partnership with Kenya Airways (KQ) to offer customers of both carriers more frequent flyer rewards, travel options, and seamless connectivity.

Codeshare expansion

The expanded partnership comes as a great benefit for frequent flyers, as Kenya Airways recently launched its Asante Rewards loyalty program. As such, Asante Rewards and Delta’s SkyMiles members can continue to earn miles and enjoy enhanced frequent flyer benefits.

Kenya Airways will include Delta’s code on its non-stop service between Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta (NBO) and New York JFK, effective August 5, to further strengthen their cooperation. As earlier reported, Delta told Simple Flying that it realizes the potential for growth in Africa and is looking to expand its footprint through its partnerships.

This will provide customers with the opportunity to explore more destinations in the airlines’ respective markets, including 31 destinations in Africa and 57 cities in the United States and Canada. Kenya Airways Group CEO Allan Kilavuka said;

“Kenya Airways prides itself in connecting Africa to the World and the World to Africa. The expansion of the codeshare is historic as it not only allows KQ to expand its footprint in the US but is also significant because it provides seamless connectivity on a single ticket for those traveling for business, leisure, or studies in the US while giving seamless connectivity to those visiting Africa through JFK and KQ’s hub at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi.”

The two airlines have been strategic partners for a while, as they are both SkyTeam members. The last significant codeshare expansion came in June 2022, when KQ placed its code on DL flights from New York to Boston, Buffalo, Norfolk, Rochester, and Syracuse. Similarly, DL added its code on KQ’s enhanced frequencies from Nairobi to Accra, Freetown, and Monrovia.

Africa-North America connections

Kenya Airways currently operates daily Boeing 787 Dreamliner flights from NBO to JFK, the only available non-stop connection between East Africa and America. The African carrier is happy to enhance Africa-North America connectivity and offer the KQ product directly through its American partner.

Delta Air Lines has been operating flights to Africa for 17 years, the longest of any active US carrier. It is seeing significant demand and positive post-pandemic trends for travel between North America and Africa. Having conquered the Northern markets, it has identified Africa as a region of importance and potential growth. Delta’s President of International Alain Bellemare said;

“At a time when we are seeing unprecedented demand for travel between North America and Africa, expanding our strategic partnership with Kenya Airways offers our customers more travel options as well as supports our priority to deepen our presence across the African continent.”

Although it does not fly to Nairobi, the legacy carrier operates non-stop flights to five African destinations from two hubs. From New York, it serves Accra daily and Dakar 3x a week with the Boeing 767. From Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson, it serves Lagos daily with the Airbus A330 and Johannesburg and Cape Town with the A350, on its own code.

Source: Simpleflying

Dubai sees record-breaking tourist arrivals: 5 accolades that prove why it is world’s best travel destination

The emirate was one of the first cities in the world to open after Covid-19 following the government’s successful handling of the pandemic

Dubai’s tourist numbers surpassed its pre-pandemic level, growing by 20 per cent to a record 8.55 million in the first half of 2023 as against 8.36 million in H1 2019.

The emirate was one of the first cities in the world to open after Covid-19 following the government’s successful handling of the pandemic, helping it recover faster than its peers. The tourism industry was one of the first beneficiaries of the reopening of borders, with a large number of foreign tourists flocking to the emirate.

There are several reasons why Dubai achieved this feat faster than many other cities worldwide, and in the process, the emirate gathered accolades that proved it is the world’s top destination after Covid-19.

Here are some of them:

Tripadvisor ranked Dubai and tourism-related experiences in the emirate as the best in the world. This was only the second time in history that a city won the coveted award for two years in a row.

In January, the emirate was ranked the world’s best destination for holidaymakers in 2023 in Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards as well. In June, the dune-bashing safari experience in Dubai’s Lahab was ranked first on the travel platform. Tripadvisor’s Travellers’ Choice 2023 also named Dubai’s JW Marriott Marquis Hotel the best in the Middle East.

Travelbag named Dubai the most picturesque and prettiest city at night. “Dubai at night is a cityscape of unparalleled beauty, which is why we’ve crowned it the prettiest city to experience after dark. With an impressive count of 25,905 Instagram posts under the hashtag ‘dubaiatnight’, it’s clear the city holds an irresistible allure for nocturnal adventurers,” it said. The emirate was also named one of the safest cities to walk alone at night, so even solo travellers can take in the sights without worry.

Resonance Consultancy ranked Dubai the best place in the world to live, work, invest and visit in 2023. The consultancy said the world’s deepest pool Deep Dive Dubai, Dubai Mall, the Burj Khalifa, Museum of the Future, Mohammed bin Rashid Library, Dubai Creek, The Palm and the world’s first and highest 360-degree Infinity pool Aura Skypool are top landmarks and attractions of the world.

A study released by Bounce rated Dubai the most favorite destination for 2023 on the global social media platform TikTok. The emirate was rated the top destination for the second consecutive year with 140.4 billion views, followed by New York (101.8b views) and London.

Condé Nast Traveller magazine rated Dubai the prettiest summer destination in the region and 6th globally. The study is based on Instagram and TikTok hashtags for over 100 cities, unveiling which locations offer the most beautiful shots for summer social media posts. Dubai had nearly 51,000 hashtags on Instagram and 12.2 million on TikTok.

Source: Zawya

KAA drives change to help unlock Africa’s potential

Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) is taking forward-looking measures, needs-based actions and overarching guidelines such as digitization, technology solutions and sustainability to enhance connectivity and strengthen the Nairobi hub while effectively managing competition.

Managing Director of KAA, Alex Gitari, said: “The strategy highlights the priority placed on route development and actively collaborating with airlines to establish new air connections and increase frequencies on existing routes. This approach recognizes the importance of attracting more airlines and passengers to solidify Nairobi’s position as a key gateway to Africa and a vital link in the global aviation network.”

KAA has taken several measures boost its post pandemic business recovery including friendly health and safety protocols to ensuring passenger confidence and maintaining a safe travel environment.

Gitari underlined those collaborative efforts help streamline operations, address challenges, and create a unified approach to revive the industry.

He said that KAA continues to invest in infrastructure development and expansion projects to meet future demand and enhance passenger experience.

“KAA has formulated a comprehensive development plan for various airports in the country. The strategy includes the construction of passenger terminal buildings at multiple airports, including Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Wilson, Ukunda, Migori, Kitale, and Nanyuki. Additionally, there are plans for the development of JKIA’s second runway, taxiway, airfield lighting system, and an aviation rescue and firefighting centre”, Gitari said.

Moi International Airport will undergo ground and slope stabilization for environmental and safety enhancement, while Wilson Airport will see improvements to its runway and apron. Eldoret International Airport is set for a runway extension and cargo apron expansion, and Isiolo Airport will undergo runway and apron extension.

Other priorities include the installation of perimeter and security fencing at JKIA, water reticulation at the airport, construction of parking silos at JKIA and Wilson, and the establishment of solar farms at JKIA, Kisumu International Airport (KIA), Eldoret International Airport (EIA), Wajir Airport, and Isiolo Airport. Additionally, land acquisition efforts are underway in Malindi and Ukunda.

“These development projects reflect KAA’s commitment to improving infrastructure, enhancing safety, and expanding operational capabilities at various airports throughout Kenya and connect efficiently to the aviation global circuit. “

KAA has also invested in digital solutions to streamline processes and reduce physical contact points through online check-in, touchless technologies at the new rehabilitated T1BC, and self-service kiosks at JKIA.

“As a prominent player in the African aviation industry, Kenya will continue to play a leading role in unlocking the continent’s possibilities by actively supporting and participating in the implementation of SAATM.”

“By prioritizing the expansion of air connectivity, Kenya will foster the growth of businesses, facilitate increased trade, promote tourism, and create ample travel opportunities for the burgeoning middle class and working population in Africa”, Gitari said. 

Kenya Airports Authority is also firmly committed to supporting the realization of SAATM’s objectives and actively engaging with stakeholders to advocate for and amplify the benefits that SAATM can bring to the continent as well as exploring opportunities to diversify revenue streams beyond traditional aviation activities and providing training and consultancy services for capacity building within Africa.

KAA is also focusing on expanding its cargo and logistics capabilities to capitalize on the growing demand for efficient supply chain solutions. 

The growth of e-commerce which has accelerated during the pandemic is driving increased demand for air cargo services.

Source: Times Aerospace.  

Kenya, Somalia sign bilateral air services agreement

Kenya and Somalia have signed a bilateral air services agreement handing a major boost to Kenya Airways that has been raring to launch flights to the country.

Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the deal now ‘opens’ the airspaces of the two countries for direct flights.

“This agreement means that airlines will be designated to fly to Mogadishu and Nairobi…but, this will depend on the designations that will be done by respective ministries across the country,” Murkomen said.

Speaking Wednesday during the signing of the agreement which followed months of negotiations with the Somalian authorities, the CS noted this will not only open door for the national carrier but also other airlines.

KQ, Murkomen stated, will now be required to write to the ministry for it to get the necessary air transport approvals.

The deal, he noted, with see the two countries support each other in terms of safety and security in the two airspaces.

It is anchored on traffic rights, frequency and capacity, code-share and the Technical Cooperation Agreement (TCA) between the countries.

“It makes us operate the way other civilised nations operate under the International Civil Aviation Authority and the Chicago convention that defines our relationship as countries on the use of airspace,” he added.

Kenya is a signatory to several air services agreements that facilitates how it designates airlines coming to the country.

The agreement states that on the frequency and capacity, the designated airlines of each party may operate seven weekly frequencies for passenger flights on specified routes while designated airlines operating cargo flights may operate unlimited frequencies. 

Technical cooperatives require that the Kenya civil aviation authority (KCAA) and Somali enhance cooperation on capacity building, personnel training and experience sharing. 

Kenya’s main exports to Somalia include miraa.

KQ’s approval to fly to Mogadishu has been pending for years now.

Somalia initially protested over Nairobi’s strict aviation rules that required stopovers in Wajir, in northeastern Kenya, for security checks.

The carrier suspended its plans to launch the flights to Hargeisa in Somaliland in May 2021 over what it termed as a lack of requisite “clearance and approvals”.

“We currently do not have any flights in operation, contrary to information circulating on social media,” Kenya Airways said in a statement.

Source: The Star

IndiGo airline sets low initial fares on Kenya market entry

Indian low-cost airline IndiGo will start Nairobi-Mumbai flights on Saturday charging an introductory one-way fare of $186 (Sh26,523) for economy-class travel.

The fares are much cheaper than what rivals such as Ethiopian Airlines and Emirates are charging, indicating that the Indian carrier is keen to attract customers on the new route before re-pricing its tickets.

On the Mumbai-Nairobi route, the airline has set a one-way price of $179 (Sh25,525), also on economy.

Return tickets for flights starting from Nairobi will be charged at $359 (Sh51,193).

Return flights emanating from Mumbai will be priced at $365 (Sh52,049).

The Indian carrier’s introductory fares are less than half of what its rivals are currently charging.

A one-way flight this Saturday from Nairobi to Mumbai on Emirates for instance will cost Sh132,135, according to the airline’s booking portal as of Monday.

The Emirates flights have one connection.

While Indigo is expected to raise its fares down the line, it is expected to offer some of the cheapest fares compared to its rivals on the same route.

The Indian carrier said the flights to Nairobi will originate from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai daily.

The airline, which seeks to capitalize on business and leisure travel between India and Kenya, will deploy an Airbus A320neo on the route. The flight will have 186 economy-class seats.

“We are delighted to announce the launch of direct flights between Mumbai and Nairobi, a significant step towards strengthening the bilateral ties between India and Kenya,” Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales, IndiGo, said in a statement on Monday.

Source: Business Daily Africa

Travelport to offer United and British Airways NDC content

Travel technology firm Travelport has renewed its multi-year agreement with United Airlines that beginning this month will include the carrier’s New Distribution Capability content.

Travelport’s NDC content and servicing solution for United will become available to all agency customers in the US and the EMEA region in August. Access will then be extended to customers in Latin America and the rest of the world “in the coming weeks”.

Agencies using Travelport will be able to search, compare and book United’s NDC offers, as well as service NDC bookings, including modifications and cancellations.

Jason Clarke, chief commercial officer, travel partners at Travelport said: “We’re laser-focused on modern retailing and making new content sources, like NDC, easier for travel agents. Our partnership with United Airlines provides a streamlined booking experience with simplified access to United’s dynamic offers and ancillaries to our agency network anytime, anywhere.

“Our NDC solution is designed to support travel retailers with complete end-to-end servicing that goes beyond the booking process, allowing agents to easily manage trip changes on the go while offering superior levels of service to their travellers.”

Travelport is the third GDS to provide United’s NDC content, following Amadeus and Sabre, after the carrier announced last week that it plans to remove its Basic Economy fares from EDIFACT channels.  

Travel agents using Travelport+ will have access to NDC content via the Content Curation Layer (CCL) feature, which provides faster search responses and more relevant, accurate search results via machine-learning capabilities, according to the company.

Travelport on Thursday (3 August) announced NDC content from British Airways is now live on its platform for customers in the UK and Ireland, and will be followed by a global rollout.

Clarke said the company will provide “even more extensive offerings” from British Airways, including “personalized offers tailored to customer needs”.

Source: Business Travel News Europe

African Nations Sign Aviation Development Agreements With Russia

Russia-Africa negotiations have produced positive results for the respective aviation sectors.

Russia has agreed to develop aviation in Africa and is boosting its cooperation with African states, including Ethiopia and Tanzania, by signing new air services agreements. Russian authorities met with various African stakeholders at the second Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg.

Russia-Ethiopia aviation development

During the summit, Russia’s Deputy Minister of Transport Igor Chalik and Ethiopia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs signed an agreement to develop the air transport line between the two countries. The states previously had an air communication agreement dated March 26, 1977, which will be terminated under the new deal.

The newly signed agreement aims to establish efficient and regular air transport services between Russia and Ethiopia, to boost trade and economic development. Additionally, it includes enacting legislation regarding national carriers, recognition of airworthiness certificates, and cooperation in ensuring flight safety standards in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.

Ethiopia’s flag carrier Ethiopian Airlines already has a regular service to and from Russia. It operates four weekly nonstop flights from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD) to Moscow Domodedovo (DME) with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Conversely, no Russian carriers are operating flights on this route.

Agreement with Tanzania

Russian authorities have also negotiated a new deal with Tanzania to strengthen their aviation ties and rejuvenate air transport activity in the post-pandemic era. Following a successful meeting in Moscow, the two governments negotiated a new Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA), noting that the previous ones had been severely affected by the pandemic.

According to the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA), the new agreements will give the designated airlines of Tanzania access to three entry points in Russia, namely Moscow, St Petersburg, and Yekaterinburg. This is a noteworthy improvement from the previous BASA, which only allowed access to the capital.

Similarly, the designated Russian carriers will be given access to three entry points in Tanzania, i.e., Dar es Salaam (DAR), Zanzibar (ZNZ), and Kilimanjaro (JRO). The negotiations also included provisions for codesharing, as both parties highlighted its importance for maximizing airline yields.

Traffic rights

Beyond codesharing, the negotiations also involved discussions on the employment of fifth freedom traffic rights by Russia and Tanzania’s designated airlines. Under the newly agreed terms, their carriers can fly to both countries and on to a third country upon mutual agreement by the respective civil aviation authorities.

Despite the current air services agreement, no airlines are operating commercial flights between these destinations. During the discussions, Russian authorities suggested a requirement for filing fares before the designated airlines can commence operations on the routes, but Tanzania heavily contested this, saying that it is “impracticable.” However, an agreement was reached, and the TCAA said in a statement;

As a result of the successful negotiations, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the Heads of Delegation from both parties. The final signing of the BASA will occur once the necessary institutional procedures of both Governments have been completed.”

Airline representatives from Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) and Precision Air were among the Tanzanian delegation that flew to Moscow. ATCL Managing Director Ladislaus Matindi told The Citizen that the new agreement could provide more business opportunities, and the company will assess the market trends before deciding to fly to Russia.

Source: Simple Flying

Dubai Tourism confirms emirate is now ahead of record 2019 figures

Dubai is officially ahead of its 2019 tourism levels, which was a record-breaking year for the emirate. Dubai Tourism’s May 2023 data recorded 7.39 million international visits YTD, slightly higher than May 2019’s 7.16 million.

It is hoped by the Dubai government that the city will beat its FY 2019 numbers by the end of 2023.

The majority of Dubai’s top 20 source markets are all ahead of May 2019 levels too. India accounted for 1.038 million visitors up to May 2023 compared to 846,000 in May 2019.

The second-biggest source market for Dubai now is Russia, which made up 554,000 international arrivals compared to 362,000 in May 2019.

Source markets which are down compared to May 2019 include UK, France, KSA and of course, China. Up to May 2023, 203,000 Chinese travellers have come into Dubai, a 295 percent surge YOY but down against May 2019’s 433,000.

Dubai Tourism success

Last month,  H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council reviewed Dubai’s overall economic performance up to H1 2023.

H.H. said: “Dubai’s economic performance indicators for the first half of 2023 have exceeded expectations. These exceptional results bolster our outlook for record results in the coming months. We look forward to a new, strong beginning in 2024, during which we seek to further enhance the business environment and accelerate economic growth in order to contribute to the goals of Dubai Economic Agenda D33.”

Issam Kazim wants to convert Dubai’s tourists into full-time residents

During this year’s City Briefing, Issam Kazim told the emirate’s hospitality leaders he wants to convert holiday-makers into residents.

Kazim said: “Today we have two new KPIs. We want to make sure Dubai continues to be one of the best cities to work in, and more importantly, one of the best cities in the world to live in.”

Source: Hotelier Middle East

Business Travel Is Back

Business travel is rising again, particularly for corporate events and on-site visits. However, it’s essential to prioritize efficient travel arrangements.

According to a Deloitte survey, business travel spending has decreased by 24% compared to 2019 due to the pandemic. However, it is predicted that by 2024, the pre-pandemic level of business travel spending will be restored. The latest survey by Accor worldwide on business travel also supports this prediction, with 57% of the companies surveyed anticipating an increase in their travel budgets for 2024 compared to 2023. The main focus is on saving costs while still facilitating travel experiences. Additionally, 46% of respondents have no plans to restrict business travel for the remainder of the year.

Balancing expectations and environmental protection

It is widely recognized that face-to-face meetings are precious. Industry experts estimate that such meetings generate up to 25% more sales. However, there are other factors to consider. Employee interaction during such meetings is also critical for maintaining good mental health and job satisfaction. Consequently, each trip is carefully evaluated to ensure it is worthwhile regarding both ROI (Return on Investment) and ROE (Return on Expectation). It will only happen if a trip offers an equivalent value.

Many travelers consider environmental protection an important issue, including corporate customers surveyed by Accor. Over half of these customers (54%) listed reducing carbon emissions as their top sustainability priority. Sustainable practices will likely play a significant role in determining which hotels and travel providers will be chosen in 2024. The “Masters of Travel” delegation is also willing to pay a premium for accommodations prioritizing environmental balance.

“Bleisure” – the trend of maximizing travel

Business travelers increasingly opt for “bleisure” trips, combining work and leisure to make the most of their travel. This trend is still in its early stages, but both panel participants and their employees consider it highly valuable for the future. Young workers are most interested in this approach, but it will likely become more widespread. In a 2022 Accor survey, 67% of business travelers said they extended their stays. However, tour operators advise caution from an insurance perspective, as insurance coverage often doesn’t include partners or families, and bill sharing can be complicated.

Source: Tourism review

Africa’s tourism industry on the rebound

Following the COVID-19 pandemic crisis that left the tourism industry across the continent on the brink of collapse, the sector is said to be on the rebound, according to the United Nations’ World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

The latest UNWTO data shows international arrivals across Africa were back to 88% of pre-pandemic levels at the end of the first quarter of this year with North Africa performing particularly strongly. In this particular sub-region, arrivals were 4% higher than the pre-pandemic levels of 2019 in the same period.

At the global level, international tourism receipts reached US$1 billion in 2022, a 50% growth in real terms compared to 2021. Among African destinations with available data, Morocco and Mauritius notably exceeded their 2019 tourism receipts in the first quarter of 2023.

These findings were shared at a recent high-level meeting in Mauritius which was convened from July 26-28 by the UNWTO. The 66th regional meeting which was held under the theme: ‘Rethinking Tourism in Africa’ provided ministers and senior officials from the continent a platform to share knowledge, ideas, and good practices for building a resilient tourism sector.

The UNWTO welcomed delegations from 33 countries, including 22 tourism ministers, two deputy ministers and four ambassadors to the meeting, the most important annual event for the region’s member states.

Zurab Pololikashvili, the Secretary General of the UNWTO told high-ranking officials that there is need to rethink and re-align the sector’s role as a driver of development and opportunity across the continent.

“Our vision for African tourism is also one of strong governance, more education and more and better jobs. To achieve it, we aim to promote innovation, advocate for Brand Africa, facilitate travel, and unlock growth through investment and public-private partnerships,” he said.

Pololikashvili said the UNWTO continues to lead tourism’s shift to greater sustainability, recognizing the impact of extreme weather events, including the potential for heat waves to cut off the lifeline the sector offers for destinations worldwide.

At the same meeting, Patricia Scotland, the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, a voluntary association of 56 independent but, mainly former British colonies, called for more collaboration than ever before, if a resilient tourism sector that works for people, prosperity and the planet is to be harnessed. She highlighted the intricate vulnerability of the tourism industry and the collective action needed to address it.

The meeting in Mauritius comes at a time when the global tourism industry is on the path to recovery after suffering a crushing blow from the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020 alone, the sector faced a severe setback with 1.1 billion fewer international tourist arrivals and the loss of over 100 million jobs worldwide.

“Despite a strong recovery in 2022, to almost two-thirds of pre-pandemic levels, the world today is tightly bound by a tangled knot of crises spanning global economic, environmental and security systems, which pose series threats to the tourism sector,” Scotland told the delegates.

She also highlighted the disproportionate impact on small island developing states (SIDS), which are heavily reliant on tourism. In 2020, the SIDS experienced a 9% decline in their gross domestic product, significantly higher than the global average of 3.4%

Given that two-thirds of the world’s small island developing states are part of the Commonwealth, Scotland emphasised the fact that sustainable tourism is a priority for the Commonwealth. She stressed the urgency of addressing these challenges collectively, adding: “We need to leave this meeting with a plan to deliver an inclusive, sustainable, and resilient tourism sector. This is imperative for the economy of each country which depends on it in Africa and beyond.”

Describing the meeting as a pivotal opportunity, Scotland invited countries to work together on an array of innovative legal and financial solutions for the tourism sector. “We already have the knowledge, the ideas, the innovation and the technology to develop and deliver these solutions… What we need is leadership and a shared commitment not to go alone, but to go together.”

Scotland said she has confidence in Commonwealth Africa’s ability to show that leadership and set the continent on a path of sustainable and resilient tourism industry.

In order to support this effort, she outlined how the Commonwealth’s work could assist countries in addressing tourism challenges through knowledge exchange, data-sharing and capacity-building. In particular, Scotland spoke about the Commonwealth’s ‘Their Future, Our Action’ project, which has been enhancing the economic resilience of small states.

She highlighted two tools developed through this project which can support the efforts of African countries. The first tool, the ‘Common Pool Asset Structuring Strategy,’ consolidates individual finance applications into country-wide opportunities, while the second tool, the Political-Economic Resilience Index, provides credible data on the economic and vulnerability levels of small states, making inward investments more attractive.

This work, she added, was backed by the Commonwealth’s ongoing advocacy on the reform of global financing rules to make development and climate finance more accessible to small states, enabling them to invest more in sustainable development, climate action and tourism resilience.

Source: Independent