South African Airways (SA) and Kenya Airways (KQ), Kenya’s national carrier, have signed a codeshare agreement that opens more destinations for seamless travel opportunities within the continent of Africa.
The arrangement will allow SAA customers to fly to Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Entebbe, Mombasa, and Kisumu, while KQ passengers will have more options for travel into Southern Africa, including Cape Town, Durban, and Harare immediately.
According to Kenya Airways CEO and Group Managing Director Allan Kilavuka, the codeshare agreement with SAA offers shared customers more options and flight combinations, this as part of their Strategic Partnership Framework.
“SAA customers will continue to earn Voyager miles on KQ flights as the demand for air travel is on the rise again. No single airline can connect all of Africa, but by working together, SAA and KQ will be able to meet the needs of our growing continent and make trade, development, and tourism easier.” said Kilavuka.
Additional codeshare destinations are being evaluated between the partners and will be announced in due course.
In November 2021, KQ and SAA signed a Strategic Partnership Framework to work together to increase passenger traffic, cargo opportunities, and general trade by taking advantage of strengths in South Africa, Kenya, and Africa.
John Lamola, interim CEO of South African Airways said that working closely with Kenya Airways as a partnership would improve the connections between the respective networks.
“This codeshare agreement builds upon an existing special prorate agreement which was signed earlier this year. Kenya Airways and South African Airways are also exploring ways to enhance co-operation on their respective frequent flyer programs, including reciprocal earning and redemption opportunities and popular benefits such as lounge access, and will be announcing the details in due course.” Lamola said.
