Kenya Airways chief executive Sebastian Mikosz has been appointed to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) board an interim basis.
Mr Mikosz will stay on the board until next year when IATA holds its annual general meeting in Sydney, Australia, from June 3-5.
I am honoured to be appointed to the Board of IATA. This for me represents an opportunity to bring knowledge, experiences and passion for my profession to serve current, prospective and future communities, while also focusing on diversity and inclusion in the aviation industry, Mr Mikosz said
The KQ chief executive has more than 20 years of professional experience in executive management both in the private and public sector.
Mr Mikosz, who took over at Kenya Airways in June, has previously been CEO of eSky.pl, the leading central European online travel agent.
He has also been president and CEO of LOT Polish Airlines, one of the oldest airlines in the world - a position he held twice including an in depth turnaround of the company.
Kenya Airways is eyeing New York as its first destination when it starts direct flights to the US next year.
The national carrier sees the city as a convenient East Coast aviation hub to mark its entry into the US, before spreading its wings across the world’s biggest economy.
The airline, which last week received regulatory approval to operate direct flights to the US, also estimates that it will move 60,000 passengers in its first year of operation on the route.
We are currently focusing on New York due to the importance of point to point traffic with Nairobi. However, we are also studying other options on the US territory as we may expand our network in the US in the near future, Kenya Airways (KQ) Commercial Director Vincent Coste said in an interview.
In its submissions to the United States government, KQ had said that it plans to launch direct flights in April 2018, although the company has since indicated June 2018 as a more likely date.
New York’s JFK Airport was the United State’s fourth-busiest airport in 2016, according to Airports Council International.
The city is the country’s economic hub and being on the East Coast, it would be easier to reach relative to other hubs such as Atlanta International Airport, Chicago’s O’Hare, and LAX on the West Coast.
KQ received a foreign air carrier permit on September 5th from the United States Department of Transportation (DOT).
Meanwhile Jetways Airlines, is set to launch daily flights to Diani in November targeting tourists visiting the Kenyan Coast famous for its white sandy beaches and marine sports.
The airline will operate two daily flights to and from Wilson and Ukunda Airstrip. This will be the second scheduled flights route for Jetways, which also flies the Wajir.
Ukunda Airstrip is used by both commercial and chartered aircrafts. Passengers will pay Sh10,000 for a one-way ticket. The firm is flying to Wajir at a promotional fare of Sh6,000.
The airline says it is targeting holiday makers visiting Southern Coast regions that include Tiwi, Diani, Galu, Kinondo and Chale Island.
Diani Beach is one of the most exclusive locations for Kenya beach holidays and has consistently been voted one of the top beaches in Africa,it is home to several organisations such as The East African Whale Shark Trust which works to protect whale sharks,reads a statement on its portal.
Tourism Observer
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