South African Airways And Kenya Airways Sign Codeshare Agreement That Will See Customers Enjoy Seamless Connections In Africa

By Samuel Ouma Kenya Airways (KQ) and South African Airways (SAA) have signed a codeshare agreement that opens more destinations for seamless travel opportunities. The code-sharing agreement will see each airline sell, under its own code, flights operated by each other; South African Airways or Kenya Airways. This means SAA’s customers will continue to have the ability to earn Voyager Miles on the new codeshare flights. The deal lets travelers combine flight segments and baggage on a single ticket. Following the deal, passengers travelling out of South Africa will have more options to travel to African destinations, including Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Entebbe, Mombasa, and Kisumu. On the other hand, KQ passengers will have more choices for travel into Southern Africa, including Cape Town, Durban, and Harare. The airlines said the growth of the partnership will see the addition of Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro, Juba, Douala, Lusaka, Ghana, and Nigeria, subject to government approval as the airlines seek to offer more options for travelers within Africa. "We are very pleased to implement the codeshare with SAA, which offers our shared customers more options and flight combinations. As part of our Strategic Partnership Framework, we will contribute to making it easier for passengers to reach exciting new destinations within Africa. The additional destinations we believe will offer better customer journey thanks to the number of frequencies and connections created and many opportunities for trade and tourism," said  Allan Kilavuka, Kenya Airways CEO and Group Managing Director. Prof John Lamola, the interim CEO of South African Airways, said, “Through the codeshare agreement with Kenya Airways, South African Airways’ valued clientele will gain new travel choices to markets across East Africa via Kenya's extensive network and hub in Nairobi, providing for seamless travel and status recognition. We look forward to introducing Kenya Airways customers to our award-winning service and working closely with Kenya Airways as our partnership will improve the connections between our respective networks." Additional codeshare destinations are being evaluated between the partners and will be announced in due course. In November 2021, KQ and SAA signed a Strategic Partnership Framework to work together to increase passenger traffic, cargo opportunities, and general trade by taking advantage of strengths in South Africa, Kenya, and Africa. This codeshare agreement builds upon an existing special prorate agreement signed earlier this year. Kenya Airways and South African Airways are also exploring ways to enhance co-operation on their frequent flyer programs, including reciprocal earning and redemption opportunities and popular benefits such as lounge access. They will be announcing the details soon.