Kenya Airways expands code share partnership with China Southern Airlines

Kenya Airways has expanded the scope of its code share agreement with fellow Sky Team member China Southern Airlines as it works towards deepening its global presence.

The initial agreement was signed in 2009 and provided a framework for partnership between Kenya Airways and China Southern Airlines that saw them market and sell one another’s flights as if they were their own on the Nairobi- Dubai -Guangzhou route.

Under the expanded agreement, Kenya Airways will code share on China Southern Airlines services from Bangkok to Wuhan, one of the busiest cities in central China that is an important center for trade, finance and transportation.

As part of the expanded scope, Kenya Airways passengers will also get seamless access to Sydney, Melbourne and Perth through China Southern Airlines flights from Guangzhou China, providing another valuable benefit to its customers.

In return, China Southern Airlines will code share on Kenya Airways flights from Guangzhou to Nairobi, and onwards to Lagos, Johannesburg and Lusaka.

Kenya Airways group managing director and CEO Dr Titus Naikuni, and the China Southern Airlines chairman Si Xianmin hailed this new development as another step towards greater collaboration between the airlines that will see the Sky Team partners jointly take advantage of the Sino-Africa opportunities.

Dr Naikuni noted that the enhanced code share agreement with China Southern Airlines, the largest airline in the People’s Republic of China by fleet, route network and passenger capacity, would benefit customers.

“This will benefit our guests a great deal with the increase in flights, frequency and ease of connectivity to more destinations,” Naikuni added.

Xianmin said: “Both being Sky Team members, Kenya Airways is one of the most important partner of CZ. We began the code-share cooperation since 2009, and today we witness again the code-share cooperation between CZ and KQ. The cooperation is in line with our customer value proposition to offer customers more travel options, and it also fits perfectly our growth strategy. We all believe with our close and continuous cooperation, we will provide more products and choices to all our passengers, and enhance our influence in the Sino- Africa market."

The new code share services between China Southern Airlines and Kenya Airways goes on sale on July 18, for travel from August 1 2013.