flying_blue_white_red

This is a really good news for US based travellers :

Kenya Airways plans New York launch in late-Oct 2018

KQ002 NBO2325 – 0625+1JFK 788 D
KQ003 JFK1225 – 1055+1NBO 788 D

https://www.routesonline.com/news/38...late-oct-2018/

If you want to discover KQ's nice product, you can read this recent TR :

After the rain, comes the sun in BURUNDI, Kenya Airways to LHR via CPT in J

vytas315

Would be about time!! They keep advertising that these are "just around the corner" for the last two years at least. Sounds like more substance this time around. Any word on other direct routes by US carriers?

ElJudioErrante

Wait for the DL codeshare

flying_blue_white_red

Nairobi JKIA had to be upgraded to cat 1 status by the FAA first before KQ could get the DOT approval for flights to US.
You're right, back in the day, it should have been a DL route ATL-DKR-NBO instead of a KQ nonstop NBO-JFK

FYI, from Dar Es Salam, Entebbe, Addis and Jo'burg to JFK, one can get attractive return J fares starting from only €1500 - €1600. To get the best fares, use/search/book from the special link provided by KQ:
https://www.kenya-airways.com/flight-to-usa/

stimpy

The first flight is this Saturday. Reports say over 7000 tickets booked on this route already.

flying_blue_white_red

That's very encouraging, hope KQ will do perform on this new challenging route!
Are you sure they move ahead the inaugural date to September?

stimpy

Oops! You are right. The report I saw said September 28th, but after googling around everywhere else it says October 28th.

flying_blue_white_red

Looks like some media might be very impatient and excited to discover a new exotic tail at JFK
Let's hope they will try the new service on the due date and not before

ETStar

The frequency of this flight is being cut back to as little as 4x per week in November. Goes back up to daily in December.

flying_blue_white_red

Kenya Airways Nov 2018 New York frequency variations

Kenya Airways during the month of November 2018 is temporary reducing Nairobi – New York JFK route, a new route to be launched on 28OCT18. Service reduction is based on seasonal demand, where it’ll operate mostly 5-6 weekly with Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, instead of 7 weekly.

05NOV18 – 11NOV18 Day x13 (Day x24 from JFK)
12NOV18 – 18NOV18 Day x12 (Day x23 from JFK)
19NOV18 – 26NOV18 Day x2 (Day x3 from JFK)
27NOV18 – 03DEC18 Day x124 (Day x235 from JFK)

KQ002 NBO2325 – 0625+1JFK 788
KQ003 JFK1200 – 1030+1NBO 788


On a side note, it's now confirmed that Richard Quest will be on KQ's NBO-JFK inaugural flight this coming Sunday night, this is gonna be exciting, check below link, he already arrived in Nairobi over a day ago guess he will have one or two interviews before departure, KQ needs to make good use to market it.

https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/busi...augural-flight

stimpy

Oooh. Exciting. I'll actually be at NBO at the same time Sunday night too. However on a different flight. I wonder if I'll see RQ wandering the duty free shops.

flying_blue_white_red

Wow lucky you, hope you'll see a bit of the event and spot other celebrities too
You probably may have more chances to meet him at the Pride Lounge!

flying_blue_white_red

The BIG Day for Kenya Airways or for whoever wanting this evening to meet or seek for Stimpy at NBO!
If you are flying to the US better be early to the JKIA airport NBO ( a minimum of 3 hours) as it now adds a 4th security check from the airport toll security checks. Don't forget Nairobi horrendous trafic jam!
Lots of spotting, lounge or last minute shopping options afterwards though.
Better safe than sorry...

stimpy

Well there's no traffic jam on the road to the airport today. In fact there are no cars at all. Mombassa road is closed for the big Marathon! But that will all end this afternoon and on Sunday evening there is no traffic anyways.

I've always been a contrarian about getting to NBO extra early on evening flights. Most everyone does that so there are huge queues 2-3 hours before the flight. I choose to arrive an hour or less before the flight and find no queues and quickly make my way through passport control and to the lounge.

stimpy

I flew out of T1C, a good bit away from T1A where the JFK flight is. So I didn't see all the hullabaloo. On the monitors it showed the JFK flight as closed about an hour before scheduled departure. I guess they really want pax to arrive extra early to go through the extra US security.

I arrived about an hour before my LH flight and still had time for a drink in the Aspire lounge that LH and LX use. Only a few people in line in front of me at passport control.