Kenya Airways (KQ, Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Air Austral and its Air Madagascar partner in which the two Indian Ocean carriers will add Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta as their third strategic hub.
A statement issued marking the event said the trio would explore additional partnerships including codesharing as well as the building of their respective services between the Indian Ocean and the African mainland.
"This new strategy, which is part of the Malagasy national carrier's Business Plan, will offer the three companies good opportunities to develop," Marie-Joseph Malé, CEO of Air Austral, said. "In addition to hubs in Reunion and Antananarivo, Nairobi will become a gateway to the African continent to strengthen trade and tourism between the three countries and improve the connectivity within our respective territories."
At present, the two Indianocéanie-based carriers have minimal ties to Nairobi with Air Austral serving the Kenyan capital with a 2x weekly service from Dzaoudzi, Mayotte, via Moroni International, Comoros.
Last week, Air Mauritius confirmed it was also courting Kenya Airways, as well as South African Airways and RwandAir, over the formation of a new regional alliance. If formed, the agglomeration would allow all four carriers to leverage their combined size to improve unit-cost efficiencies.
