Kenya Airways to Launch Flights To Juba

Better late than never!Kenya Airways will finally launch daily flights to Juba from 10th June this year!Juba is emerging as one of the more lucrative routes in the East African region and KQ had delayed the launch allowing Air Uganda and Ethiopian Airlines to dominate the lucrative route.

The Juba route will be Kenya Airways' 48th route and will be serviced by an Embraer E170 and the schedules will be as follows:

KQ350 NBO0800 – 0940JUB E70 D
KQ351 JUB1030 – 1210NBO E70 D

Last year, South Sudan unveiled plans to spend heavily on expansion and modernisation to lure major airlines to Juba Airport. The government committed $30 million for the project. The three phase project will be completed by 2012 and will have the airport meet international standards. It is part of the programme by the South Sudan government to build infrastructure stalled by 20 years of civil war.

Several African and Middle Eastern carriers have shown an interest in flying to Juba in the near future.

Interest by international commercial airlines has grown tremendously as South Sudan consolidates the gains of peace and embarks on the long and difficult road of building the new nation. Juba is also becoming a commercial hub as businessmen from East Africa rush in the post conflict boom to supply goods and services, including major Kenyan businesses!

The move remedies the edge the absence of the Kenyan Carrier gave to regional competitors.The route is also serviced by Kenya's JetLink Express.