Kenya Airways Under Fire From Pilots For Flying 787s Too Fast

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mzeiya

Elder Lister



Kenya Airways has come into conflict with its pilots’ union regarding the speed at which it has asked crews to fly the Boeing 787 on a certain route. The measure on the Kenyan flag carrier’s Nairobi-Guangzhou route is designed to cut costs. However, the union has asserted that the plan, which also reduces the number of pilots onboard the flights, is illegal.
Kenya Airways Boeing 787

Kenya Airways flies the 787 to Guangzhou once or twice a week. Photo: BoeingThe route in question

Kenya Airways is one of two carriers to fly directly between Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International (NBO) and Guangzhou Baiyun International (CAN). The other is China Southern Airlines. Data from RadarBox.com shows that the Kenyan flag carrier plied this route twice a week (Mondays and Fridays) until last week, when it reduced to a weekly (Friday) frequency.

Operating the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on this corridor, flight KQ882 to Guangzhou typically departs Nairobi at 17:45 local time. With a scheduled duration of 10 hours and 15 minutes, touchdown in China is scheduled to occur at 09:00 the following morning.
Kenya Airways Map

The flight operates overnight in both directions. Image RadarBox.com

However, previous iterations of this flight have departed at 16:30 local time, giving a duration of 11 hours and 30 minutes. This is in line with the current return working, KQ883, which is scheduled to take 11 hours and 45 minutes to return from Guangzhou (22:15) to Nairobi (05:00 the next morning). So why is the outbound leg now so much faster?

Why has Kenya Airways come under fire?
According to The East African, the expedited flight time between Nairobi and Guangzhou is a result of cost-cutting measures at Kenya Airways. In order to save money when it comes to hotel accommodation and personal, allowances, the airline has reduced the number of pilots working such flights from four to two. However, this didn’t fit with the old schedule.
Kenya Airways B787

The new schedule is more than an hour quicker, but at what cost? Photo: Getty Images.

Indeed, the carrier’s Operations Director, Paul Njoroge, explains that “the agreement between [Kenya Airways] and the pilots union allows for flights up to a maximum of 10 hours and 30 minutes flight time with one captain and one first officer.” While the new schedule doesn’t violate this, it has raised concerns at the Kenya Airline Pilots Association (KALPA).

The union’s Secretary-General, Murithi Nyagah, alleges that the new timings force crews to cruise the 787 at a Cost Index (CI) of 300. According to Skybrary, CI represents “the ratio of fuel costs to all other costs” on a given flight. Such a high CI represents fast cruising with minimal emphasis on fuel saving, and the union claims that the figure is actually illegal.
Kenya Airways Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner

Kenya Airways has nine 787-8s in its fleet. These are its youngest aircraft. Photo: Getty Images

Cutting costs could lead to safety issues
KALPA adds that flying in this manner puts the lives of passengers and crew at risk. The smaller crew sizes are also of concern to the union. Indeed, its member pilots have argued that having just two pilots onboard will cause greater fatigue. This is due to the lack of rest opportunities that are otherwise present when a second pair of pilots can take over.

Writing in a letter to Kenya Airways CEO, KALPA Secretary-General Murithi Nyagah argued that the Ops Director’s approach to these flights “disregards safety as the principal guidance, but rather [chooses] to prioritize commercial interest as the basis of his decisions.” It will be interesting to see how the national airline responds to this dispute. Simple Flying has reached out to Kenya Airways for a statement and will update this article upon receiving it.
 
The speed part needs to be confirmed, of its illegal to fly at those speeds.
In matters crew numbers, the safety should be the priority and guiding factor.
However the main question is, is it illegal to fly at those speeds as per Boeing and FAA.
If it's not, then the pilots have to adjust, could be a matter of getting used to a relaxed schedule for too long.
Emirates some times ago changed their operating ways into medium haul sectors.
They used to have crew lay over in Nairobi but changed to turning around with the same crew for one of their flights, this became the model for middle east carriers.
Cost saving, became, saving in hotel accommodations and per diem allowances.
As long as it doesn't violate the crew flying hours and overall safety. They may be forced to adjust.
 
Anglututu said:
The speed part needs to be confirmed, of its illegal to fly at those speeds.
In matters crew numbers, the safety should be the priority and guiding factor.
However the main question is, is it illegal to fly at those speeds as per Boeing and FAA.
If it's not, then the pilots have to adjust, could be a matter of getting used to a relaxed schedule for too long.
Emirates some times ago changed their operating ways into medium haul sectors.
They used to have crew lay over in Nairobi but changed to turning around with the same crew for one of their flights, this became the model for middle east carriers.
Cost saving, became, saving in hotel accommodations and per diem allowances.
As long as it doesn't violate the crew flying hours and overall safety. They may be forced to adjust.
Click to expand...
Teach me a bit sir,what is this about speeds and FAA. Kwani FAA controls the world's airways?
The Boeing part about speeds I understand coz they make the planes.
But I do not get the connection between FAA and KQ Dreamliner flight to China.

Please explain clearly boss,physics was not a stronghold of mine...
 
Anglututu said:
The speed part needs to be confirmed, of its illegal to fly at those speeds.
In matters crew numbers, the safety should be the priority and guiding factor.
However the main question is, is it illegal to fly at those speeds as per Boeing and FAA.
If it's not, then the pilots have to adjust, could be a matter of getting used to a relaxed schedule for too long.
Emirates some times ago changed their operating ways into medium haul sectors.
They used to have crew lay over in Nairobi but changed to turning around with the same crew for one of their flights, this became the model for middle east carriers.
Cost saving, became, saving in hotel accommodations and per diem allowances.
As long as it doesn't violate the crew flying hours and overall safety. They may be forced to adjust.
Click to expand...
The top comments from the vid are quite telling...
1638434080591.png
 
It's Me Scumbag said:
Teach me a bit sir,what is this about speeds and FAA. Kwani FAA controls the world's airways?
The Boeing part about speeds I understand coz they make the planes.
But I do not get the connection between FAA and KQ Dreamliner flight to China.

Please explain clearly boss,physics was not a stronghold of mine...
Click to expand...
Nothing to do with physics, just legalities.
See boeing is registered and tested in the US and FAA is the governing body, so everything Boeing does has to be approved by the FAA.
If Boeing says they've tested their aircrafts can fly and those speeds safely and FAA approves then it's approved.
You'll ask on what grounds but just know planes go on so many tests before they are approved and FAA is that body.
It's hard do grasp especially for us in KE and Africa in general, because of the mediocrity that we've been force fed and accustomed to.
 
Anglututu said:
Nothing to do with physics, just legalities.
See boeing is registered and tested in the US and FAA is the governing body, so everything Boeing does has to be approved by the FAA.
If Boeing says they've tested their aircrafts can fly and those speeds safely and FAA approves then it's approved.
You'll ask on what grounds but just know planes go on so many tests before they are approved and FAA is that body.
It's hard do grasp especially for us in KE and Africa in general, because of the mediocrity that we've been force fed and accustomed to.
Click to expand...
I see your point. Thank you. Basically and ideally we should have KCAA testing these planes too. Let me stop dreaming...
 
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It's Me Scumbag said:
I see your point. Thank you. Basically and ideally we should have KCAA testing these planed too. Let me stop dreaming...
Click to expand...
Hawa wetu ni wa kukula pesa za flying drones. Not their fault but it's in the rot that this country has modeled itself around. We do not value order and we do not respect intellectuals.
Si waona kebs stickers on very many mediocre products in the streets. Those are our standards.
 
Interesting that the pilots agreement says flights upto 10h 30m can have 2 pilots. The plane can use same time to fly from nrb to china. But pilots want to fly at slow speeds so as to use 11h 45m so that flight can have 4 pilots.
 
mkurugenzi said:
Interesting that the pilots agreement says flights upto 10h 30m can have 2 pilots. The plane can use same time to fly from nrb to china. But pilots want to fly at slow speeds so as to use 11h 45m so that flight can have 4 pilots.
Click to expand...
Reminds me of that saying that the law is an ass.. anyway, having 3 pilots should be an acceptable compromise
 
mkurugenzi said:
Interesting that the pilots agreement says flights upto 10h 30m can have 2 pilots. The plane can use same time to fly from nrb to china. But pilots want to fly at slow speeds so as to use 11h 45m so that flight can have 4 pilots.
Click to expand...
These pilots are just lazy.
I want to believe that flying is most demanding at takeoff and landing. Cruising ni nyweeee.
Compare that to a matatu driver was kangemi-town route. Anafungua job 4am anafungua 10pm.

Nìmatùtigithie.
 
Aviator said:
These pilots are just lazy.
I want to believe that flying is most demanding at takeoff and landing. Cruising ni nyweeee.
Compare that to a matatu driver was kangemi-town route. Anafungua job 4am anafungua 10pm.

Nìmatùtigithie.
Click to expand...
90% of the flight time the plane is on autopilot. Pilots even sleep in turns during the flight.
 
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