NAIROBI, KENYA: The Kenya Airways has reported Sh 4 billion net loss from Sh5.6 billion recorded same period last year.
Chief Executive Officer Sebastian Mikosz singles out fuel price volatility as main challenge
“Our loss before tax is down by 30 percent. We keep slowly but steadily improving,” Chief Executive Sebastian Mikosz told a news conference on Wednesday.
The carrier, which is now 7.8 percent owned by Air France KLM, said its revenues rose 3 percent to 52.19 billion shillings, but total operating costs rose by 4 percent to 53.22 billion shillings due to rising global fuel prices.
The airline said in June that it would resume aviation fuel hedging in the second half of this year after price volatility drove up its costs.
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Passenger numbers increased 7 percent in the first half to 2.3 million, it said.
The airline’s better performance this year was helped by an improving business climate in Kenya. The run up to tightly contested elections in August last year had created political uncertainty and the risk of instability.
Kenya Airways has changed its financial reporting period to match the calendar year. Previously its financial year was to the end of March.
Kenya Airways this year changed its financial reporting period to match the calendar year. Previously its financial year was to the end of March. However, comparisons given in its first-half results were with January-June 2017.
