The Dreamliner Boeing 787 — which first took to the skies in September — will make its debut landing at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport before the end of the year.
A team from Kenya Airways is expected to fly in the plane, which would carry selected passengers for a short flight to give travellers a taste of the Dreamliner experience.
Kenya Airways has an order for nine Dreamliners, with the option to take four. The first of its order is expected in October 2013, two years behind schedule.
The company is looking to increase its fleet to more than 100, move to new destinations and increase frequencies on lucrative routes over the next 10-years.
To achieve this growth strategy, the airline expects to raise part of the money in a rights issue. The date and amount of money the airline wants to raise are yet to be made public.
However, a note from NIC Securities, said KQ is expected to raise at least Sh23 billion. It predicts that the airline may discount its share by up to 22 per cent in the rights issue. This would put the price at about Sh20 a share.
Alex Mbugua, KQ’s financial director, told investors last month that part of the money raised would go towards pre-delivery payments for the Dreamliner. Airlines are expected to make payments for aircraft two years before delivery.
“The first pre-delivery payment should have gone last month and that is why we are coming to the market now,” he said.
Source: http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate+News/Dreamliner+to+make+debut+landing+at+JKIA/-/539550/1272492/-/114m08dz/-/index.html
