Kenya Airways Asks Govt To Travel Exclusively Using KQ As It Unveils Executive Travel Hub

• Kenya Airways has urged the government to adopt policies that will make it mandatory for state officers to use KQ for all official travel, citing the potential to improvements of the airline’s fortunes
• The Asante Executive Hub, unveiled at KICC, will offer premium travel services for state officials and dignitaries, strengthening KQ’s role in government travel
• KQ aims to expand partnerships with county governments and enhance service accessibility beyond Nairobi through its 24-hour helpline

Muyela Roberto is a business journalist at TUKO.co.ke with over 9 years of experience in the digital media, offering deep insights into Kenyan and global economic trends.

Kenya Airways (KQ) has urged the Kenyan government to institutionalise a policy that mandates all state officers use the national carrier for official travel, both domestically and internationally.

Asante Executive Hub launched

Allan Kilavuka, CEO of KQ, noted that while the airline currently handles around 50% of the government’s air travel, increasing this share to 80% would significantly boost the airline’s operations.

Kilavuka made these remarks during the unveiling of the Asante Executive Hub, a government travel center at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, designed to streamline state travel and offer premium services to government officials.

He highlighted that in some countries, it is either law or policy that government officers must use the national airline, suggesting Kenya should consider a similar approach.

“If the government were to fly with us exclusively, we would see a significant increase in volume. In Kenya, we have a democratic system, so there are a few exceptions. However, we believe the practice of using KQ for official travel should be more deeply entrenched,” Kilavuka said.

The Asante Executive Hub, located at the globally recognized KICC, aims to enhance the government’s access to premium travel solutions and further cement KQ’s position as a trusted partner in state travel.

KQ’s Chief Financial Officer, Julius Thairu, revealed that in addition to serving Kenyan officials, the hub will target dignitaries attending conferences at KICC.

"We are also partnering with county governments to ensure state officers from all over Kenya can use this hub. Even after it closes in the evening, its services are transferred to our 24-hour helpline," Thairu shared with TUKO.co.ke.

Govt calls for a more aggressive KQ

Principal Administrative Secretary (PAS) Arthur Osiya encouraged KQ to be more aggressive in expanding its market share, hinting that the airline may need to step up its marketing efforts.

TUKO.co.ke understands that President William Ruto flew KQ to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly which is set to end on September 27.

Earlier, the president also used the airline to fly to China for the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit.

In May, the president found himself at pains to explain why he flew to the US aboard a private jet owned by an Emirati businessman instead of flying KQ.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke