Kenya Airways 787s Remain Grounded

Kenya Airways hopes to have all its currently grounded Boeing 787s return to service by the end of the coming year.

The hope is part of the carrier’s broader ambitions to expand its overall fleet and move forward in a more positive direction.

Talk around the airline is hopeful that the return to service of the Boeing 787s will come after a lengthy period where these jets have been parked for maintenance.

However, with supply chains presenting their fair share of issues over recent years, the timeframe for the return of these jets has ballooned, significantly impacting their day-to-day operations.

As a result of the 787 groundings, where three of this type have been on the ground, Kenya Airways reported a loss of USD 94 million across the first half of 2025.

Importantly, this represents a substantial negative turnaround from the profit posted during the first half of 2024; however, when groundings were not affecting its day-to-day operations.

At times, one-third of the airline’s 787 fleet was parked, and revenue from passengers has remained one of the biggest concerns throughout 2025; that situation did not improve across the first half of the year.

The airline’s CEO had previously warned in March that the Easter period would bring further financial pressure, alongside an inability to operate its typical long-haul schedule due to the smaller active fleet.

Securing the necessary spare engines for the planes to return to service, as well as maintaining the existing engines to meet the required maintenance, has been an industry-wide problem, with adverse effects varying depending on each respective operator’s circumstances.

The latest available fleet data indicates that Kenya Airways currently has two 787-8s parked, with seven units listed as active, totalling nine.

Looking Ahead For Kenya Airways

Despite the struggles with the 787 fleet, Kenya Airways remains optimistic that things will begin to improve across the coming year, with the hope that the aircraft will be fully operational by next year.

Meanwhile, Kenya Airways is also seeking to secure a capital boost by the first quarter of 2026, gunning for around half a billion dollars at a minimum.

This capital would help the airline address some of the expansion work it wants to undertake, which includes a focus on renewing and growing the fleet in the coming years.

Shareholder approval will be required, but so too will work to understand fundamentally where this capital will be specifically utilised and where the benefits will be realised in the near future.

However, before any of this can ultimately happen, the business must correct its parked aircraft, which are causing disruptions to its day-to-day operations.