Kenya Airways (KQ, Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta) has officially taken delivery of its first of nine B787-8s - 5Y-KZA (msn 35510) - from Boeing (BOE, Washington National) at a ceremony held in the United States on April 1. The Dreamliner is expected at Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta on April 4.

Its first scheduled services are expected to include Mombasa as well as Paris CDG and Johannesburg O.R. Tambo. In the long-term, the airline will also use the type on flights to Beijing Capital.

The aircraft marks the start of the second phase of a USD1.9billion aircraft purchase transaction arranged by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) which also involves the acquisition of one B777-300(ER).