AirKenya (P2, Nairobi Wilson) will discontinue flights to Kenya's Coast Province in early 2019 citing an increase in competition on regional routes.
The carrier said in a statement to the Kenyan press last week that it would suspend service to each of Lamu, Malindi, and Ukunda in January next year. Capacity freed up from the withdrawal would then be deployed on to other routes across Airkenya's network.
“This gives the company the chance to serve you better regionally by redeploying capacity to where it’s needed more,” Air Kenya General Manager Dino Bisleti said in the statement.
According to the ch-aviation capacity module, up to seven carriers, including Airkenya, serve each of the three airfields mentioned. Other operators include Blue Sky Aviation Services (Kenya), Jambojet, Mombasa Air Safari, Silverstone Air Services, Fly540, Fly SAX, Safarilink Aviation, and Skyward Express.
Airkenya offers extensive connectivity throughout Kenya via a fleet that includes three DHC-6-300s, two Dash 7s, one Dash 8-100, and four Cessna (single turboprop) 208B Grand Caravans. Its only international route, at present, is between Nairobi Wilson and Kilimanjaro, Tanzania although it is also planning to add flights from Maasai Mara Serena to Entebbe, Uganda, via Kisumu. The service is subject to government approval and will operate in partnership with its Ugandan subsidiary, AeroLink Uganda (A8, Entebbe).
