Kenya Airways Pulls Istanbul Flights, Citing Route Losses

Kenya Airways has ended its twice-weekly service to Istanbul, Türkiye, after the route failed to turn a profit. The Kenyan national carrier announced the move on Tuesday; the suspension had already come into force on 1 September 2007.

Airline chief Titus Naikuni said the company was trimming routes that did not deliver acceptable returns, with the goal of focusing resources on productive destinations. Spokesman Mickael Okwiri confirmed the decision and the effective date to reporters.

The Istanbul service operated via Cairo and had been running since June 2005. Kenya Airways launched the connection in an effort to secure passengers traveling to and from the Caspian Sea region.

The airline now serves 36 destinations around the world. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, the Dutch carrier, holds a 26 percent ownership stake in Kenya Airways.

Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in September 2007, in its own words.