A KQ Dreamliner aircraft. PHOTO | FILE | NMG Kenya Airways has cut its flight frequency to Entebbe by 25 percent following high cases of Covid-19 in Uganda and strict government containment measures, which have reduced demand on the route.
The airline has cut the number of flights from 12 a week to nine citing low loads on the route as passengers keep off the route.
Uganda is one of the key routes for Kenya Airways with the most frequencies within the region and low demand is set to impact on the carrier’s earnings.
“There is a third wave in Uganda and we have had to restrict our flights by cutting on frequencies,” said Allan Kilavuka, chief executive Kenya Airways.
Mr Kilavuka said the emerging waves of the virus has severely impacted on the carrier as each time they start picking up, countries announce outbreak of new waves.
Uganda is at the moment battling the third wave that has led to a total lockdown in the landlocked nation with restriction on movement from one district to another.
Mr Kilavuka said restriction on the UK route, which is one of the lucrative destination in Europe has also impacted on the airline’s revenue.
The carrier resumed the UK route last Saturday with one flight a day but Kenyans are still restricted from travelling there as Nairobi has been placed under red list.
The carrier has negotiated for productivity-based method of payment with its lessors in order to avoid fixed cost and cut on the high expenses involved on fleet management at the time when the airline is struggling with low demand from passengers.
The carrier will save $45 million this year after it changed its terms with the lessors to only pay for the hours the aircraft are operational.