Kenya Airways has launched direct flights to Guangzhou, China’s third largest city, in a move that is expected to deepen trade connections between Africa and the Far East.
The airline’s inaugural flight departed from its Nairobi hub at midnight Kenyan time, landing in the Chinese city at 16h00 local time yesterday.
The route is served by Kenya Airways’ newly-acquired 777-300ER aircraft, which is currently the biggest in the fleet with a capacity of 400 passengers.
The direct flights between Nairobi and Guangzhou will be operated three times a week – on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays – departing Nairobi just after midnight, while maintaining the current schedule of four flights a week to Guangzhou via Bangkok. Together with code-share partner, China Southern Airlines, whose hub is Guangzhou, KQ will be able to service most parts of China.