Kenya Airways resumes flights to Bangkok

National carrier Kenya Airways (KQ) has announced the resumption of flights from Nairobi to Bangkok, Thailand.

The route, reinstated as part of KQ's economic recovery strategy, was launched in 2003 but suspended in 2020 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

The first cohort of arriving passengers aboard the re-launched route were treated to a warm reception at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok on Thursday.

Kenya’s ambassador to Thailand, ambassador Lindsay Kimwole Kiptiness has likewise welcomed the move.

“The fact that KQ, has returned to Bangkok is very exciting because it cuts their time to about 8 hours, from 12 hours, you can imagine 4 hours transiting through other destinations," the envoy told Citizen Digital.

"We are happy to see that KQ is here and believe it will promote tourism and business because people have been asking us, when are we going to have direct flights."

With a population of over 14 million, Bangkok is a vibrant hub offering a wide range of tourist, art, and cultural attractions for travellers. KQ hopes that the resumption of the flights will signal a turn for the better for the airline. 

"Even after COVID, airlines are still struggling but this is a testimony of what you should expect in terms of airline business, the markets are slowly opening up and we look forward to fly to more markets subject to commercial viability," Tony Gathogo, KQ Head of Domestic and International Airports, said.

"From next week we will be increasing our frequencies to five times a week from our hub in Nairobi, so we will basically be doing ten touchdowns from next week, the route is Nairobi-Bangkok, Bangkok – Guangzhou and Guangzhou back to Bangkok, then onwards to Nairobi."

The resumption of flights to Bangkok will expand KQ’s current network to 42 destinations, offering travellers into and out of Africa, convenient connections via Nairobi to the popular Thai destination.

The flights between Nairobi and Bangkok will be operated by the modern Boeing 787-8 aircraft.