National carrier Kenya Airways (KQ) has added nine safari tourism destinations to its global itinerary through a codeshare agreement with domestic airline Safarilink Aviation, to fly international passengers from New York to the Masai Mara National Reserve.
Code-sharing is an agreement between two or more airlines to sell seats for the same flight, which means that passengers enjoy benefits such as the purchase of a single ticket, a single check-in, and seamless connections at transit points.
The codeshare grants KQ passengers connection to two daily flights by Safarilink to the Mara airstrip as well as Amboseli, Nanyuki and Samburu.
“Our role in aviation is not just to fly more people. It’s to spur economic growth and to improve the social status of our country. I have argued many times that aviation is extremely critical to economic and socio-economic development in a country. It is one of the biggest catalysts for socio-economic development,” KQ Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Allan Kilavuka said at an event marking the launch of the code-share deal on Friday.
“Masai Mara is a key attraction. When we sell New York to Mara that is one-of-a-kind. Our role here is to continue providing these connections, spurring growth, creating jobs and creating socio-economic activity so that Kenya becomes a top Safari destination around the world,” he added.
The code-sharing agreement with Safarilink joins a growing list signed between KQ and international airlines to widen its global route network.
In total, KQ now has 14 codeshare partners, including British Airways, Air Egypt, Air Austral, ITA Airways, Oman Air, Saudia, Precision Air and Safarilink. Others are Air France, KLM and Jambojet.
“Our fleet of Cessna Caravans and Dash-8 aircraft is perfectly suited to provide quick and efficient access to these remote airstrips, ensuring that visitors can maximise their time exploring the wonders of the Kenyan wilderness,” said Safarilink Aviation CEO, Alex Avedi, during the launch.
He said that Safarilink has expanded its fleet on the anticipated demand for tourism visits to Kenyan parks. Last year, the airline took delivery of two Cessna 208 aircraft and added another this year.
Kenya received 2.4 million visitors in 2024, representing a 14 percent increase. In 2023, the country had 2.09 million tourists up from the 1.4 million in 2022.
