In a bid to expand business and trade, Kenya is calling on investors to take advantage of the flights between Nairobi and New York, which is set to begin in October. Cabinet Secretary for Transport, James Macharia, stated that the collaboration by Kenya Airways and the United States will turn Nairobi into a commercial and transport hub that will come with all the attendant features to enhance trade.
“As soon as the venture gets underway, Kenya will invest massively to ensure that infrastructural facilities for conducive trade are enhanced in order to make the undertaking an operational success,” Macharia said.
He said this during a meeting with United States Under Secretary of Commerce Gilbert Kaplan, who is on a two-day visit to Nairobi to strengthen talks and promote trade between the two countries ahead of the direct flights to New York. Gilbert Kaplan was accompanied by a delegation of over 70 business people from the private sector executives and members of the President’s Advisory Council for the tour ahead of Oct. 28 launch of non-stop flights which will therefore, make Kenya Airways the first airline to run non-stop flight between East Africa and the United States.
The airline will operate the Boeing 787 Dreamliner which has the capacity of 234 passengers daily with a 15 hours duration eastbound and 14 hours westbound.
Sebastian Mikosz, the CEO of Kenya Airways, said the flight will be the 52nd destination worldwide in the company’s growing network.
“Kenya and the U.S. have been close allies and have enjoyed cordial bilateral relations since independence, with about 50 American companies and organizations operating in the country that will henceforth their time and space abridged because of the new developments,” Sebastian Mikosz said.
