Kenya Airways is struggling to meet rising passenger demand as a shortage of available aircraft limits the number of travellers it can carry, with grounded planes, costly fuel and a global shortage of engines and spare parts putting pressure on the airline’s operations.
Acting Group Managing Director and CEO Captain George Kamal said the airline’s main challenge in the first half of 2026 was not attracting customers but having enough aircraft available at the right time and at a cost that makes its operations sustainable.
Speaking during a Media Breakfast Roundtable on the State of the Airline in Nairobi on Wednesday, Kamal said demand for KQ flights remained strong despite the challenges facing the carrier.
“The market is there. The people want to fly KQ. Our biggest constraint in the first half of the year, we don’t have enough. Availability is an issue, and we don't have it at the right time and the right cost to serve the current demand. ,” he said.
Kamal cited the airline’s Mombasa route as an example of the strong demand, saying some flights carried more than 300 passengers in both directions.
“That means there is a demand. That means we are able to attract, and people are willing to fly Kenya Airways,” Kamal said.
However, the airline has been unable to fully take advantage of the demand because three Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners remained grounded for much of the period due to shortages of engines and spare parts.
Kamal said the loss of even a few wide-body aircraft has a major impact on an airline with a relatively small fleet because it immediately reduces the number of seats available across its network and affects revenue.
“When you have a relatively small fleet, losing two or three wide-body aircraft has an immediate effect on the capacity and revenues,” Kamal said.
The aircraft shortage has been made worse by rising fuel costs following disruptions to airspace and changes in global energy markets. Kamal said fuel prices increased by 72% during the period, with fuel making up about half of KQ’s operating costs.
The airline expects some relief in the coming months, with four engines due for delivery in September. Kamal said the engines will allow grounded aircraft to gradually return to service, with the airline expecting its fleet to be substantially restored by the end of 2026 or January 2027.
He, however, said ordering new aircraft would not provide an immediate solution to the capacity problem. Global aircraft manufacturers Airbus and Boeing have large order backlogs that could take more than 11 years to clear.
KQ is therefore relying on a mix of restoring its existing fleet, controlling costs and finding new sources of revenue as it works to strengthen its financial position.
Kamal said the airline was reviewing its spending and contracts to identify areas where it could save money.
“No more leakages,” Kamal said, adding that KQ was reviewing “every single” contract to identify savings.
The airline is also looking to grow its cargo business, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) operations and strategic partnerships as it seeks to reduce its reliance on passenger revenue.
Cargo currently accounts for about 11% of KQ’s revenue, but Kamal said the airline wants to increase that contribution substantially, with a long-term target of at least 40%.
KQ is also relying on partnerships with airlines such as Delta and Qatar Airways to widen its reach. Through the partnerships, passengers can access more than 1,000 destinations beyond Kenya Airways’ own network.
Kamal said the airline’s turnaround plan was aimed at building a stronger and more stable business rather than simply returning to profit for a single financial period.
“I don’t mean simply getting back to profit for one period. I mean building a different and more durable Kenya Airways,” he said.
The airline’s 2025 financial results showed the scale of the pressure facing the carrier. KQ recorded a net loss of Sh17.16 billion in 2025, reversing a Sh5.43 billion profit recorded in 2024.
Revenue also fell to Sh161.47 billion in 2025 from Sh188.5 billion the previous year.
Kamal’s comments come ahead of the release of Kenya Airways’ first-half 2026 financial results, which are expected to show how stronger passenger demand, fleet recovery and the airline’s cost-cutting measures have affected its financial performance.