SkyTeam - Anyone flown on Kenyan Airways?

Found some good priced Y class tickets to Nairobi on Kenyan Airways. Flying out on their 767 and back on a 777. Any experiences? All the reviews Ive read have been negative with the themes being the IFE not working, bad food, and rude cabin crew? Anyone back this up or back the opposite?

I regularly fly KQ, as you can probably tell...

A few thoughts:
- The 777 is definitely better than the 767. (And although most of their 767s are still OK, they have one or two old ones, which really aren't great - but you're unlikely to find one of those on a European route).

- IFE is better on the 777 (which has almost full AVOD) rather than the 767 (which has PTV with ~12 movies running in parallel). Unfortunately, even the 777s are several years old now, and so sometimes the controller units in the armrest are damaged and don't work properly. There's sometimes also what appears to be a software glitch, so you get stuck in radio mode, and can't get out (unless you ask the crew to reset it for you from their control panel). However, as long as you have a working set, the AVOD on the 777 is fine. (I also really like the touchscreen AVOD on their new E190s (!) - but you certainly won't find one of those on a European route...)

- Of course, food in Y is never going to be as good as food in J. However, I think KQ's food in Y is fine (and has improved compared to what it was like a few years ago).

- It seems you can always find one or two surly cabin crew on any airline. However, KQ doesn't seem to be any worse than any other airline, and in fact their crew can often be quite friendly (especially if you speak a few words of Kiswahili...) [IMHO, it seems load factors are a more significant issue than airline, when it comes to cabin crew behaviour - on crowded flights, everyone (both crew and pax) is more likely to be stressed; while on almost-empty flights, there is normally a pleasant and friendly atmosphere...]

- KQ don't (yet) have an Economy Comfort product, but I think their standard seat pitch in Y is slightly more generous than on KL.

If I had a good Y fare with KQ, I would happily fly with them (and regularly do, in fact...) Mrs KQ321 still prefers KL, though...

My Flight Memory:
2011: AMS BKK CDG DAR DCA DTW DXB EBB FCO GVA HAN JFK JUB LCY LHR LPQ MUC NBO NUE SGN SVO YYZ ZNZ

I would just echo the previous comments... pretty average airline.... didn't find the food or service that bad although the plane to Mumbai was a bit on the older side. BTW, their new Embraers for short haul flights are very nice.

I regularly fly KQ, as you can probably tell...

A few thoughts:
- The 777 is definitely better than the 767. (And although most of their 767s are still OK, they have one or two old ones, which really aren't great - but you're unlikely to find one of those on a European route).

- IFE is better on the 777 (which has almost full AVOD) rather than the 767 (which has PTV with ~12 movies running in parallel). Unfortunately, even the 777s are several years old now, and so sometimes the controller units in the armrest are damaged and don't work properly. There's sometimes also what appears to be a software glitch, so you get stuck in radio mode, and can't get out (unless you ask the crew to reset it for you from their control panel). However, as long as you have a working set, the AVOD on the 777 is fine. (I also really like the touchscreen AVOD on their new E190s (!) - but you certainly won't find one of those on a European route...)

- Of course, food in Y is never going to be as good as food in J. However, I think KQ's food in Y is fine (and has improved compared to what it was like a few years ago).

- It seems you can always find one or two surly cabin crew on any airline. However, KQ doesn't seem to be any worse than any other airline, and in fact their crew can often be quite friendly (especially if you speak a few words of Kiswahili...) [IMHO, it seems load factors are a more significant issue than airline, when it comes to cabin crew behaviour - on crowded flights, everyone (both crew and pax) is more likely to be stressed; while on almost-empty flights, there is normally a pleasant and friendly atmosphere...]

- KQ don't (yet) have an Economy Comfort product, but I think their standard seat pitch in Y is slightly more generous than on KL.

If I had a good Y fare with KQ, I would happily fly with them (and regularly do, in fact...) Mrs KQ321 still prefers KL, though...

My Flight Memory:
2011: AMS BKK CDG DAR DCA DTW DXB EBB FCO GVA HAN JFK JUB LCY LHR LPQ MUC NBO NUE SGN SVO YYZ ZNZ

Thanks. Flying them from NBO to CAI in a few months. Helpful.

Thanks. Flying them from NBO to CAI in a few months. Helpful.

In which case, you'll almost certainly be on one of their 737s, so some of the above doesn't apply...

Their older 737s (737-300) have no In-Flight Entertainment system at all. The newer 737s (737-700, 737-800) have overhead TV, but not personal TV (not even in J). They tend to switch model of 737 between different flights at fairly short notice (presumably based on load factors, etc) so it's hard to be sure in advance which type you'll be on.

The NBO-CAI flight (and the CAI-NBO flight) makes a stop in KRT on the way, which breaks the journey up into two stretches of about 2.5hrs flying time each (although you stay on the plane while in KRT). This means you should get two meal services, with a (different) light meal each time.

My Flight Memory:
2011: AMS ATL BKK CDG DAR DCA DTW DXB EBB FCO GVA HAN JFK JUB LCY LHR LPQ MUC NBO NUE SGN SVO YYZ ZNZ

I've flown KQ countless times, but almost always in business class. I love the crews and the food and the 777 seats. KQ crews are the same as any other crew in that if you greet them politely in their own language, Kiswahili as KQ321 said, they will definitely warm up to you.

Been on their old 737s, the 737NGs, a couple 777s, even one of their new E170/175's. (The last one was interesting - it was so new that the pilots taxied out, had some light come on, and had to read the manual a little bit. Once we were airborne, they apologized and said it was just a little problem with the parts that make the plane fly, or something like that.)

I've never encountered any KQ employee, in the air or on the ground, who was anything but polite and helpful.

Other than that, yeah, pretty average, I'd say. I might like KLM a tiny bit better, but if KQ is cheaper, I'm happy to take it.