Brussels Airlines has resumed direct flights between Brussels Airport and Nairobi, Kenya, as of Monday.
The airline initially established the link with the Kenyan capital between 2002 and 2015, however it was discontinued after being bought by the Lufthansa Group. Brussels Airlines now connects Brussels and Nairobi again, with the inaugural flight that took off on Monday morning from Zaventem.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hadja Lahbib, who was also present at the spirit-lifting event, said: "This is a win-win for both countries. It forms a bridge between our cultures and economies," she said. This service will run up to six times a week, each flight with a duration of approximately eight hours.
Since tickets went on sale, 50,000 people have already booked their flight to visit Nairobi or travel from Nairobi to Brussels, affirming the route’s success even before the first take-off, according to the airline statement. With 18 routes served in sub-Saharan Africa, Brussels Airlines distinguishes itself as the specialist for Africa within the Lufthansa Group.
Sub-Saharan destinations account for around 20% of Brussels Airlines’ passengers, but bring in 40% of the airline’s revenue. "Aside from Washington and New York, all our long-haul destinations are in Africa. We want to continue investing in the African continent, primarily by increasing direct flights to existing destinations," said Dorothea von Boxberg, CEO of Brussels Airlines.
With this new connection, Brussels Airlines is focusing equally on tourist and business travel. Nairobi notably hosts one of the four United Nations headquarters.
