NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 14 – Kenya Airways (KQ) has announced plans to establish a flying school to boost pilot training capacity and support the growth agenda.
Its CEO, Allan Kilavuka, speaking during the capital’s morning breakfast show, said that the move is part of the airline’s broader efforts to diversify its revenue portfolio in an effort to scale up profitability.
“We are in the middle of setting up a flying school, and we have had discussions with the board to encourage more people and facilitate more training of pilots for our own sake and also for the world,” Kilavuka revealed.
“We have very good resources, and we want to keep developing them, and the flying school we are setting up will make it easier for people to get trained.”
The move forms part of the airline’s push to navigate past financial turbulence and return to profitability after years of losses.
The airline has recently sustained its profitability efforts as it attempts to strategize.
In the first half of 2024, KQ posted a profit after tax of Sh513 million, a turnaround from a Sh21.7 billion loss in the same period last year, its first half-year profit since 2013.
The improvement was driven by a 22 percent revenue jump, increased passenger numbers, operational efficiencies, and a stronger shilling.
Despite this progress, KQ remains in negative equity, with liabilities far exceeding assets.
The airline is still seeking a strategic investor and is reportedly targeting up to Sh259 billion in fresh capital to stabilize and grow the business.
It now joins a list of regional carriers that have set up schools as part of their portfolio, including the UAE’s Emirates, EgyptAir, Ethiopian Airways, and RwandAir, among others.
