[Pics] Brussels Airlines relaunches route to Nairobi, enhancing connectivity and boosting Kenyan tourism

Brussels Airlines has inaugurated flights to Nairobi, with the first flight (SN 481) from Brussels to Jomo Kenyatta Airport departing this Monday morning, operated by Airbus A330-300 registered OO-SFH. The Belgian national airline will operate up to six flights per week on this new route, which is expected to bolster Kenyan tourism and the local economy significantly.

This new route will provide expanded travel options between Kenya and Europe, as well as the United States, with numerous connections available through Brussels. Europe, Kenya’s second-largest tourism source market, contributed 572,352 arrivals last year, accounting for 29% of the market share.

June Chepkemei, CEO of the Kenyan Tourism Board, stated, “Connectivity is our key enabler in tourism arrivals into Kenya and we believe that Brussels Airlines will be a major boost towards this front.”

Brussels Airlines, part of the Lufthansa Group, specialises in African destinations and has plans for further growth, with Nairobi being a significant milestone in their expansion efforts. The new route has already seen substantial interest, with 50,000 bookings made prior to the inaugural flight.

Dorothea von Boxberg, CEO of Brussels Airlines, expressed enthusiasm about the high demand from both Belgian and Kenyan markets, highlighting Nairobi as a vibrant city and gateway for travel.

The inaugural flight was marked by a gate event attended by key figures including Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib, H.E. Bitange Ndemo (Ambassador of Kenya to the Kingdom of Belgium), Dorothea von Boxberg, Arnaud Feist (CEO of Brussels Airport), and Peter Maddens (Belgian ambassador to Kenya). Arnaud Feist emphasised the importance of this new route in strengthening Brussels Airlines’ African network and Brussels Airport’s role as an intercontinental hub.