NAIROBI, Dec 11 (Reuters) – Kenya Airways has
told its customers to be prepared for potential disruptions to
its flights schedule during the busy Christmas holiday season
due to shortages of spare parts.
The carrier, one of the biggest in Africa, said the lack of
parts, which is affecting the global supply chain, would disrupt
flights for about two weeks.
“These challenges are leading to extended ground time of our
aircraft for maintenance,” it said in a statement seen by
Reuters on Monday. “This may also lead to grounding of one or
more of our aircraft.”
The airline first flagged the problems it is grappling with
due to spare parts shortages in January this year. At the time,
it attributed the shortages to the Ukraine war, which crippled
the Russian supply chain for global aviation.
Supply of titanium from Russia, a key raw material for the
aviation industry crucial to the maintenance of planes, had been
interrupted by the conflict, the company said at the time.
Kenya Airways, whose strategy hinges on connecting African
travellers to the world and vice-versa through its Nairobi hub,
operates a fleet of Boeing and Embraer planes.
(Reporting by Duncan Miriri, and Louise Heavens)
