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The Nairobian

KQ is running smoothly and keeping time, but AI voices are causing turbulence in air

Peter Kimani

By Peter Kimani | Oct 17, 2024

**Kenya Airways planes at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi.** [File, Standard]

The national airline, whose takeover, I suspect, might be added to those dubious deals with Dubai-based entities, invited me to respond to a survey about their services recently. I happily filled in the questionnaire and mailed back.

But within 24 hours, I received another email following up on the survey. They were yet to receive it. I am forwarding, yet again, my honest view of their services.

First off, the flights to Accra and back surpassed my expectations. The flights ran on time, the food was excellent, and I had enough leg room to stretch and yawn. One fellow, two seats away, snored throughout the Nairobi-Accra flight.

The only quibble that I have is that KQ have introduced an annoying AI voice to signal when seat belts are needed. The robotic voice startled my neighbour out of sleep, and she didn’t sleep again, more worried about the voice than the turbulence in the air.

But what I did not write in my feedback to KQ is that many of my friends were very surprised that I had turned down flights with other continental airlines for our own. Apparently, KQ has had such bad press for not keeping time and flights cancellations, few among my connections would consider it.

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My response then, and now, is that I have faith in my country and its institutions and that I will continue to fly KQ. Hopefully, they will deal with that annoying AI voice that rattles passengers out of sleep. And the same AI will stop sending out mails asking passengers for feedback that’s already in its possession.