NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov12 – Dubai based carrier Emirates has introduced its Airbus A350 aircraft on the Nairobi-Dubai route as the airline moves to expand its premium travel offering amid rising passenger demand between Kenya and international markets.
The aircraft, which began operating on the morning EK717 and EK718 services, replaces a Boeing 777 on the flights, while two other daily departures will continue using the Boeing 777 aircraft.
The introduction brings the airline’s Premium Economy cabin to the Nairobi route, targeting travelers connecting through Dubai to long-haul destinations in Europe and the United States.
Rashid Al Ardha, Emirates Vice President for Commercial Operations in Sub-Saharan Africa, said Kenya remained one of the airline’s priority markets in the region, with the additional daily frequency introduced to accommodate growing passenger numbers.
“Kenya has always been a very important market for us in East Africa, and as a gateway for a lot of the tourism that comes into Kenya and out of Kenya,” he said.
“The third flight comes at a time when we have multiple connections coming in from the US and Europe, providing seamless connections for our travelers through Dubai.”
Emirates introduced its third daily frequency to Nairobi on July 1, taking its operations on the route to three flights daily.
Al Ardha said Kenya was now the airline’s second-largest African market by capacity after South Africa, adding that the carrier would continue assessing opportunities to expand its regional network depending on passenger demand.
The A350 features business, Premium Economy and Economy cabins, with the airline positioning the new offering as an alternative for passengers seeking additional comfort without paying business-class fares.
Christophe Leloup, Emirates Country Manager for Kenya, said demand for Premium Economy had increased, particularly among passengers travelling on long-haul routes beyond Dubai.
“We have been seeing the demand increasing for Premium Economy beyond Dubai, on the long-haul routes, especially for the US and Europe.”
“We were already selling a lot of Premium Economy, even though the first leg was in Economy Class, but customers were demanding that product.”
He said Premium Economy fares were priced approximately halfway between Economy and Business Class, although the airline had not introduced a separate pricing adjustment for the Nairobi market because of the new aircraft.
The aircraft introduction comes as Emirates continues a USD5 billion (Sh650 billion) fleet refurbishment programme targeting more than 200 Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 aircraft.
Al Ardha said the airline expected to have refurbished about 115 aircraft by the end of 2026, although the programme had faced supply-chain delays. Deliveries under its Boeing 777X programme had also been delayed, while new A350 aircraft continued arriving monthly.
Despite the expanded product offering, the airline acknowledged pressure from elevated global fuel prices, which continue to weigh on operating costs across the aviation industry.
Al Ardha said Emirates was using fuel hedging and other cost-management strategies to mitigate the impact while maintaining competitive fares.
The airline said the A350 offered fewer seats than the Boeing 777 but provided better fuel efficiency and lower unit costs, making aircraft deployment and operating economics central to its expansion strategy.
