This brings the number of A330’s back to pre-covid level. The new aircraft allows the Belgian national airline to add Nairobi and to increase flights to Kigali.
Brussels Airlines adds a tenth aircraft to its long-haul fleet and commits to growth in Sub-Saharan Africa, its most important market. With the extra capacity, the Africa expert of Lufthansa Group reopens the route to Nairobi and increases its connections between Brussels and Kigali to a daily service. This brings the number of Brussels Airlines’ destinations in Sub-Saharan Africa to 18.
Brussels Airlines continues to invest in its intercontinental network and fleet, as a tenth Airbus A330 will become operational in the Summer of 2024.
Travelers will thus have even more options to fly between Europe and Africa, and benefit from a direct connection between Brussels Airport and the Kenyan capital. Nairobi is not unknown territory to the airline as it already served this destination between 2002 and 2015.
Extra destination and increased flights to East and West Africa
Brussels Airlines will not only add a new destination, the new long haul plane allows the airline to increase the flight frequency to Kigali (Rwanda) to a daily connection. To crew this A330 about 60 pilots and cabin crew members will be hired. Also on the ground extra colleagues will be recruited.
Tickets for flights between Brussels and Nairobi are on sale as of tomorrow, the first flight is planned in June 2024. It will operate six days a week during the summer schedule. In the winter schedule, the route will be flown four times weekly. During the winter, an extra direct flight to Dakar and an extra rotation to Banjul / Conakry and Monrovia / Freetown will be added to the planning.
Dorothea von Boxberg, CEO, Brussels Airlines said: “With the addition of Nairobi to our network, daily frequencies to Kigali and extra flights to West Africa, we offer more choice to our passengers travelling to and from Africa than ever. The tenth intercontinental aircraft is a clear sign of Lufthansa Group’s trust in Brussels Airlines and strengthens our role as the hub to Africa for the Group.”
Kevin Markette, General Manager East Africa, Lufthansa Group said: “Kenya remains a focus market for Lufthansa Group in East Africa, largely driven by the significant increase in demand and resurgence in travel, coupled with the immense support of the local community within the region. I am pleased that we continue to grow our presence in Kenya, underlining Lufthansa Group’s commitment to Kenya and the region as a whole. With the addition of the six weekly Brussels Airlines’ flights to Nairobi, Lufthansa Group will offer 18 weekly connections to Kenya in summer 2024, including daily Lufthansa flights to the capital and five weekly direct Discover Airlines flights to Mombasa.”
About Kenya and the schedule
Kenya has a rapidly growing population of more than 50 million. The country is renowned internationally for its scenic landscapes and vast wildlife preserves. Its leisure market is also continuously expanding, with currently more than 2 million annual tourists.
Moreover, Kenya is referred to as the “Silicon Savannah” and became a technological epicenter attracting many start-ups innovating in the digital sector in the past decade.
Outbound flights will leave Brussels in the morning and arrive in Nairobi in the evening. Inbound flights will depart from Nairobi in the evening and arrive in Brussels in the morning.
Taking into account the connection between Frankfurt and Nairobi operated by Lufthansa, this will bring the weekly number of Lufthansa Group flights to the capital of Kenya to 13 in the summer season and 11 in the winter season.