Kenya Airways is to receive the first of three Boeing 777-300ER aircraft in October this year, with revenue services set to begin in November.
Two more B777-300ER aircraft are expected to be delivered in mid-2014.
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The acquisition is part of the airline’s ten-year plan. ‘Project Mawingu’ is aimed at increasing its fleet size from the present 44 to 107 by 2021, and destinations from 62 to 115.
The new Boeing 777-300ER will begin direct flights from Nairobi to Guangzhou from November 2013.
With long-range flying capabilities, the B777-300ER will have a capacity to accommodate 400 passengers, including 28 Premier World and 372 Economy.
Kenya Airways group managing director and chief executive officer Titus Naikuni said 777-300ER would be the largest aircraft in the company’s fleet.
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By GlobalData"It will give our business a major lift due to its enhanced product quality, excellent range and impressive cargo capacity (more than 7,000ft³ feet of cargo volume, over 20mt)," he said.
"The Boeing 777-300ER aircraft is a perfect fit for our network expansion plans, as it will enable us to serve our existing markets much more effectively and facilitate the opening of new long-haul routes in the near future," Naikuni added.
Designed to improve guest experience, the aircraft features full flat-bed seats with leather foot-rests, laptop stowage, armrests as well as a 15.4in touchscreen monitor, power socket and USB port, and an in-flight entertainment handset for each seat.
The aircraft’s economy class seats also feature articulating bottoms for better legroom, four-way adjustable headrests, in-flight handset seatback as well as 10.6in touchscreen monitors.
The new Boeing 777-300ER will be the fourth aircraft that Kenya Airways will receive this year, after three Embraer 190 jets delivered earlier in 2013.
Image: The new B777-300ER will have a capacity to accommodate 400 passengers. Photo: courtesy of Kenya Airways.
