A top executive from Kenya Airways has hailed the Chinese market as a crucial pillar of the airline’s global business, citing its competitiveness and promising future.
“We see a good fiscal year ahead since China’s aviation performance is robust, which has given us confidence in the Chinese market,” Julius Thairu, chief commercial and customer officer with the airline, said during an interview with Xinhua.
Julius Thairu, the airline’s Chief Commercial and Customer Officer, expressed optimism about the fiscal year ahead, citing the robust performance of China’s aviation sector as a key factor. He made these remarks during an interview with Xinhua.
Having entered the Chinese market in 2005, Kenya Airways currently operates weekly routes from Nairobi to Guangzhou in South China. Thairu revealed plans to further expand their presence in China by launching a new direct flight from Nairobi to Beijing next year, coinciding with the company’s 20th anniversary in the Chinese market.
“From capital to capital, and from Kenya to other African countries, easier transportation will bring us closer,” he said, adding that China remains Africa’s largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years.
Thairu emphasized the significance of improved connectivity between capital cities and within Africa, asserting that enhanced transportation links would facilitate closer ties between Kenya, China, and other African nations. He highlighted China’s enduring status as Africa’s largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years, with Kenya serving as China’s largest trading partner in East Africa while also being heavily reliant on China for imports.
Kenya boasts abundant tourism resources and has emerged as a favored destination for Chinese tourists, thanks in part to its relaxed visa policy for foreign visitors. Julius Thairu highlighted Kenya Airways’ efforts to capitalize on this growing market by collaborating with various Chinese airlines on interline agreements, ground operations, and code sharing. To cater to the expanding Chinese tourist influx, the airline has also been actively recruiting Chinese-speaking cabin crews.
Thairu himself has experienced firsthand the modernity and vibrancy of Chinese cities. After attending the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing in 2006, he has since visited cities like Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Changsha, where he was impressed by their modern infrastructure and development. This firsthand experience underscores the potential for deepening ties between Kenya and China in tourism and other sectors.
