Kenya Airways

✅ Trip Verified | We flew from JFK to NBO just before the pandemic was declared. This was the first leg of a journey to Seychelles (SEZ). We found the cabin crew on this flight to be excellent, attentive, and really friendly. It seemed that the cabin staff were up and down the aisles very frequently and had a smile on their faces, something that must be tough during these times. We told them how pleased we were at the end of the flight and they seemed genuinely surprised to get the positive feedback. We passed this on to the airline via their website but have received no response as yet. Check in at JFK was easy, but probably atypical due to the reduced number of flyers in early March this year. The same could be said for the boarding process. The plane itself was new, a lovely 787 with mood lighting and big windows. The legroom was reasonable (not cramped but not luxurious). Overall it was comfortable for such a long journey. The food on the outbound journey was really good, way better than we expected, and our son' child's meal was also better than typical kids meals. The biggest negative on our outbound journey was the entertainment system. There were very few recent movies and the choice was extremely limited. Take your tablet or phone and download some eBooks, movies or other entertainment to it. if you are expecting to use the system on the plane to keep you occupied for 14 hours you will be disappointed. If I was rating the airline based on this flight I would actually give this flight 4 or even 5 stars as it was enjoyable but external factors are influencing that rating. Our return journey from Seychelles was delayed overnight by 14 hours and we had to fight to get accommodation. Due to this delay, and the Kenyan government ban on entry for foreigners due to COVID-19, it also meant our mini KQ Safari booked through the airline had to be cancelled. This is all very understandable and we have no issue with any of that. We cancelled this over email with the safari division while in the Seychelles and assumed there would be no issue. However, despite meeting 3 of the criteria needed for refund I am now going through a VISA charge-back process to recover this fee. First they say to talk to travel agent (when we booked the safari directly through them on a different credit card number) and then they say its valid for a year and they do not refund services .. despite having a clear statement on their website that a refund can be done if you fit 1 of the 3 criteria - 1. contact the email provided within 24 hours of the safari to cancel (we did it 6 days before), 2. Have a flight cancellation or delay (we were cancelled and put on a flight 14 hours later), and 3. Being denied entry to the country (the government were denying foreign nationals even with a visa - which we had). We want to go back to the Seychelles when all this is over but sadly I fear it will need to be with another airline, despite the stellar service of the staff on KQ003 on the day we flew.

✅ Trip Verified | Cape Town to Amsterdam via Nairobi in early March. Did fly before the Vivid crisis. Missed our connection flight due to delay of the plane. But found out later of that connection had been canceled. Kenya Airways promised to give us a voucher as a compensation for the delay. After several emails I have not received anything.

✅ Trip Verified | I purchased a ticket back in December 2019 for a flight from Kenya to Italy. Due to COVID-19, the airline appropriately cancelled my trip, however, would not give me any sort of refund for the ticket price. I reached out to them multiple times prior to the flight with no response or call back. Finally, 2 days ago (almost a month after my flight was scheduled), I received a response stating that I did not qualify for a refund since it was a non-refundable ticket, even though they cancelled the flight. They wouldn't even give me a travel voucher by this point! If you can fly anyone else, please do. I had multiple international trips planned during this time and every other airline worked with me to refund my trip or provide me with flight vouchers. Kenya Airways clearly does not care about customer service or having future customers.

✅ Trip Verified | Due to the Covid 19, I had to cancel a flight to Nairobi. The cancellation was done on time early march. Well Kenya Airways refuses to refund my ticket and proposes a voucher to be used in the next twelve months. On top of that no one responded to my email for over a month. I really believe that this is not acceptable.

✅ Trip Verified | Nairobi to Mauritius This was the final leg of the itinerary from Manchester to Mauritius (Manchester to Nairobi flown with Qatar Airways) - flights sold by Qatar Airways. This flight was a short 4 hour flight. Nairobi Airport itself if not the best for transit, though we spent the 7 hour layover in the Pride Business Class Lounge (having paid $40 for a day pass) which was satisfactory. Cabin Crew appeared a little unfriendly on arrival onto aircraft, though pleasant with requests and service. The aircraft itself appeared old and tired, and could benefit from modernisation. For a small flight, a light meal was provided, which in honesty was good (Asian Vegetarian). Sadly few flight announcements and no advice that the plane was descending into Mauritius and landing - it just landed! No inflight entertainment - screen did not work! Finally the timing of this flight is not good. Arrival at Mauritius at 0300 in the morning is strange and untimely. Not sure why the schedule is this way, but certainly not a time that I would be looking at again in the future. In summary, an ‘ok’ airline - convenient to ensure Qatar Airways flights for the route, but will look at alternatives to Mauritius in the future. Put it this was, if Qatar Airways either fly directly to Mauritius, or have a transit in Seychelles or Johannesburg, then this would be the preferred option. Nairobi is ok, but I think the experience with Kenya Airways is not something I would revisit as experienced.

✅ Trip Verified | Travelled Kigali via Nairobi to Johannesburg and back within 2 days mid-March 2020. Aircraft were E190 on short leg and Boeing 787-8 on long legs. All flights on time. No luggage issues. Checked in online. Had to wait 1 hour in airport as they only open check in 2 hours before departure. Upgraded 1st leg KGL-NBO by a modest, but successful online bid. Granted lounge access by courtesy in Nairobi as my Gold Card was just earned during the same trip (but of course not processed in their system). In Kigali they use Pearl lounge which is deteriorating since Rwandair opened a new lounge opposite. Kenya Airways Pride Lounge in Nairobi is wonderful. Food served onboard was substandard and particular breakfasts were a disgrace. However, drink supplies were fine. I like the “Happy Hours” approach they use on regional routes like to Dubai and JNB where you order a drink or wine and they often double up the order without asking. I have only received this double up service before on Gulf Air and the now deceased Jet Airways. That is generous, positive approach and make one feel very appreciated and cared for in economy class where benefits otherwise are sparse. FAs are very good though advised an FA to avoid chewing gum as it is cause feeling of disrespect to some passengers. Champagne on business class is good and offered also before departure. No IFE on short legs but on long legs plenty of films to watch. No WiFi onboard. I was given 3 seats on all flights were not full thanks to corona virus fear and close downs.

✅ Trip Verified | Nairobi to Dar-Es-Salam. It was a connection flight, I booked the tickets from different companies separately. This flight was the last resort to avoid losing my next flight and it got delayed more than an hour, so I lost the next flight. In the counter they said it was just not in the contract whatever could happen because of a delay of less than 3 hours.

✅ Trip Verified | Nairobi to London Heathrow. Awful, simply awful. Substantial delays on both the outbound and return legs. Really poor customer service in response. Customer service was poor in general, on board and at the airport when requesting an update to the flight. I would not recommend Kenya Airways to anybody, not even my worst enemy!

✅ Trip Verified | Johannesburg to Kigali via Nairobi 5-6 Feb 2020; on Boeing 787-8 and Embraer 190. Almost on time; first flight fell 25 Minutes late. I had made a low, but successful bid for 2nd leg to be upgraded as it also gave access to Kenya’s Lounge in Nairobi which is good and spacious. Ticket cheap, bought from an online travel company. Kenya Airways have reduced luggage allowance for regional flights, with Silver level in their Flying Blue FFP I eventually managed to get a 2nd, huge suitcase, added to be check-in (first one included in ticket). Check-in, transfers, and communication went fine. Onboard, great service, lots of drinks as there seem to be a Happy Hour going on at afternoon/evening flights. Whenever passengers ordered juice, beer or wine they were instantly handed double up without discussion. I love that attitude. It gives a feeling of luxury. I have experienced this before with KQ (on their Dubai route). Food was good, two options with the possibility to add up more as long stock lasted. FAs were fine. Call bells answered. Duty free sales onboard worked well. The Dreamliner is great but space provided in economy is humiliatingly small. I was lucky to have 3 seats to myself to survive lack of leg and breathing space. Pride lounge in Nairobi is a breeze and I slept well till next morning to catch last leg as being upgraded. Last leg morning flight NBO-KGL was uneventful. Of 9 business class seats (1 x 2 configuration). No complaints apart from a joke of “breakfast” consisting of a tired, reheated croissant. No cheese, only jam to supply. Champagne and coffee/tea given on request.

✅ Trip Verified | Bangkok to Johannesburg via Nairobi on 5th February 2020. Both flights on newer B787-8 aircrafts. Check-in and luggage handling went smoothly, but had to fight a bit with ground staff to get all my BPs issued on spot. Booking handling online works well. Their AF-KLM lounge offered in Bangkok is poor (like Thai Airways lounges) but their Pride lounge in Nairobi is good and spacious. Hardware on Kenya Airways is good and they are good on ground to tackle even complicated issues. The FAs are also good, plenty, observant. They are mainly Kenyans which does not help Chinese nor Thai passengers much. The very weak point of Kenya Airways is the food. Business class does not provide food any better than their Economy class and is plain, without vision, looking shabby. Competing airlines like Ethiopian, Turkish, South African, and Egypt serves much better and inspiring food in their economy class. Steel cutlery and table preparation nice. But that’s it. Dinner from BKK was a cold shabby dish with chopped salad and 3 ridiculous small pieces of sliced meatballs. Breakfast offered was inedible continental or fried rice. Very poor offerings. No meat, no cocktails, no cheeses, no ice cream, no smoothies, chocolates, no fruits (watermelon does not count). Extremely poor catering, a disgrace for the airline. Beverages are shamefully very sparse, only 2 juices (apple or orange) are offered. Wines are only passable. Beers are cheap, waterish industrial stuff: 2 brands, Tusker and Heineken – not providing any alternatives to each other. No souvenir, no pyjamas, no luxury feelings at all. No lobster, no seafood, no caviar, no mutton, goat, pork, no beef, no chicken (maybe inside the breakfast sausage). FA staff admitted that economy class had the same catering as business though of course presented simpler. 1st flight on time, 2nd departed 1 hour late. Miles given quickly to Flying Blue. I will go again when the price is right. Lower expectation to food to zero and eat well at home or in lounge. Then it can be fairly good value for money when prices are promoted.