Kenya's national carrier, Kenya Airways, said Friday it will resume direct flights to Paris next month after a three-month suspension occasioned by the country's post-election crisis in December.
The airline said in a statement that the flights will resume on June 10 with a special re-launch fare of 499 US dollars exclusive of taxes for the travel period in June 2008.
"This resumption demonstrates the airline's confidence in the recovery of the tourism sector which contributes significantly to the passenger traffic on this route," it said.
Kenya Airways, which is one of the most successful airlines in Africa, suspended its flights to Paris after a sharp decline in bookings on the route as French citizens reacted to their government's decision to join other nations in issuing a travel advisory against the travel to Kenya.
But the airline said it will fly twice a week to Charles De Gaulle Airport in the French capital on Tuesdays and Thursdays and return to Nairobi on Wednesdays and Fridays next month.
"In July, this frequency will be increased to thrice weekly with departures for Paris every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and returns every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday," the airline said.
Early this year, Kenya Airway's CEO Titus Naikuni had expressed optimism regarding the resumption of normal flight operations.
"We will monitor the situation on a monthly basis and are hopeful that we will resume the Paris flights for the summer high season once the French government's travel advisory has been removed," he said while announcing the suspension in February.
KQ began thrice weekly direct flights between Nairobi and Paris in October 2006 to develop tourism, improve services for business travelers and provide connections for Francophone travelers from this region.
(Xinhua News Agency May 17, 2008)