KQ expands partnership with Delta Air Lines ahead of US flights return

National carrier Kenya Airways (KQ) has expanded its code share partnership with the US Delta Air Lines as it warms up to the return of New York direct flights.

The extended partnership will link travellers on the direct flights to three new points including the cities of Dallas, Washington DC and San Francisco.

The code share offers a one-stop option for travellers travelling from Kenya to other regions in North America.

At present, the code share partnership has connected passengers on the KQ direct flights to the cities of Toronto, Durham, Montreal, Miami, Charlotte and Phoenix among other destinations.

Kenya Airways views the expanded partnership as crucial as it seeks to resume direct flights into the US on October 31, 2020.

“The one-stop service via New York into North America is critical especially in the current environment as Kenya Airways continues to focus on offering safe travel by reducing amount of connections needed by passengers connecting to and from Africa,” KQ said in a statement on Wednesday.

KQ’s direct flights into the United States have remained grounded since March 23, 2020 when the company froze all external passenger flights as part of measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kenya Airways first launched operations on the route in October 2018.

The carrier is set to operate two weekly flights with activities on the route thinning due to COVID-19 related restrictions.