What many Africans look up to as one of the most successful airlines still under government operations is in fact a shame for Africa to boast of. It is an open secret for frequent travelers that while Kenyan Airways plays a cardinal role in Africa’s aviation industry; the service is horrible and leaves much to be desired.
Flight cancellations, delays and lies about pilots being sick are a daily routine for Kenyan Airways an airline that was once the Pride of Africa.
Passengers have continued complaining but nothing positive seems to come out of this.
While we appreciate the role that the airline plays in africa’s international trade and networking, its operations leave much to be desired.
On July 29, 2010 while connecting from Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania to Lusaka, Zambia vis Nairobi Kenya, I was made to wait for more than two hours in the name of the pilot being sick and officials were looking for a replacement who would arrive in twenty minutes time which ended up being two hours.
September 5, 2010 while waiting for a plane going into Lilongwe whose flight was scheduled for 11:15hrs world from the Kenyan officials was that the flight would be delayed because the plane had apparently over fueled hence causing a malfunction on one engine forcing the pilots to heard back to Nairobi. This saw tens of people being affected.
Fortunately for us heading for Lilongwe an arrangement was made with bumpy Air Malawi and sad for others who had to wait for the midnight flight. As though that was not enough, flying from Malawi was challenging as the pilot was again reported to be sick on Wednesday September 8th forcing the cancellation of the flight to the next day which saw Lusaka bound passengers having their one hour thirty minutes flight being prolonged by first going to Nairobi and waiting for four hours before connecting.
These are just but a few memorable incidents of the many complaints that many people have raised against this airline whose Corporate Affairs department seems to be sleeping as no official statement or apology is issued apart from the cliché now turned Kenyan Airline Daily anthem of “We would like to apologize for any inconveniences caused.”
Reports of strikes and lack of motivating factors for workers have been heard but nothing much seems to be done to turn tables.
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Niarobi is one of the busiest airports in Africa putting Kenya on the map for international trade and connections, however, the operations of the National flag carrier are what are making Africans like us now start felling ashamed.
What is need is a complete over haul of the airline and put some people that are able to perform. In as much as the aviation industry is very costly and involving, the need for better players and managers are of the essence.
As the world is now turned into a global village and the need for networking among professionals from various nations and sectors of the economy, I can not do away without Kenyan Airlines as it seems to be monopolizing certain routes hence need for improvement in service delivery.
Free advice in running a service based business “don’t take more than what you can carry or manage.” Kenyan Airway needs to enhance its network with its African and overseas partners in the routes instead of getting a huge client base which it can’t manage.
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