Kenya Airways and Air France-KLM to end Africa-Europe code share

Kenya Airways said it had agreed with Air France-KLM to end a code share for Africa-Europe routes, after suspending the arrangement this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Air France-KLM owns a small stake in Kenya Airways, which said in a statement on Saturday that the airlines had agreed to terminate the route sharing from September 2021.

Kenya Airways resumed international flights in August after they were suspended in March as part of the country’s measures to contain the outbreak of coronavirus.

The COVID-19 pandemic has depressed the global aviation industry, with revenue at African airlines alone expected to drop $6 billion this year.

Kenya Airways said it would continue to serve the European market through its gateways of London, Paris and Amsterdam.

“This development allows Kenya Airways to offer additional options and convenience to our customers connecting through our European gateways,” it said.

Main Photo: A Kenya Airways staff (R), stands next to two flights about to take off at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), in Nairobi, Kenya. EPA-EFE/DANIEL IRUNGU