Kenya Airways has kicked off the sale of tickets for its maiden direct flight to New York starting October 28.
The airline’s CEO Sebastian Mikosz announced at the launch on Thursday that business class customers will pay Sh257,634 both ways and that the tickets will be subject to government approval.
For the customers travelling on economy class, they will pay Sh89,000 both ways.
He also said travellers can start making advance online booking.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner with 234 passengers will leave the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 11:25pm every day and land at John F Kennedy Airport in New York at 6:25am the following day.
A return flight to JKIA from JFK will be at 12:25pm the same day. It will land in Nairobi at 10:55am the next day.
The timings will allow flight connections to and from 40 African destinations.
“The move will cut the flight time between the two cities by more than seven hours,” said Mikosz as quoted by the Star.
The direct flight will take 15 hours eastbound and 14 hours westbound.
In the KQ flight from Nairobi to New York, out of the total 234 passengers on board, 30 will be at the premium world class and 204 in the economy section.
They will have 4 pilots, 12 flight attendants and 85 tonnes of fuel loaded one way which Mikosz noted was necessary.
“This ultra-long haul flight requires ultra-resources and we are providing the best for our guests.”
About 100, 000 tourists from the US come to Kenya every year. Thus, the direct flights are expected to increase exports to the US from Kenya.