By Ebi Kesiena
Kenya Airways, one of Africa’s largest carriers, has issued a caution to its customers, advising them to anticipate potential flight disruptions during the upcoming Christmas holiday season.
According to the airline, shortages of crucial spare parts, a consequence of global supply chain challenges, is the primary reason behind the expected disruptions.
In a statement released on Monday and reported by Reuters, Kenya Airways revealed that the scarcity of spare parts is causing extended ground time for its aircraft, leading to maintenance delays.
The airline noted that it anticipates that these challenges could result in the grounding of one or more of its aircraft for a period of approximately two weeks.
This issue is not new for Kenya Airways, as the airline first highlighted its struggles with spare parts shortages in January of this year. At that time, the company attributed the shortages to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which severely impacted the Russian supply chain for the global aviation industry.
The conflict disrupted the supply of titanium from Russia, a critical raw material for the aviation sector essential for the maintenance of aircraft, as explained by the airline in its earlier statement.
Kenya Airways, known for its strategic role in connecting African travelers to the world and facilitating vice-versa travel through its Nairobi hub, operates a diverse fleet that includes Boeing and Embraer planes.
However, as the holiday season approaches, the airline’s noted that its customers are advised to stay informed about potential schedule changes and make necessary adjustments to their travel plans in light of these anticipated disruptions caused by the ongoing spare parts shortages.
