Kenya Airways?

[waterbug123]

Not cruise related, but curious if any of the frequent flyers here have experience on Kenya Airways.

 

We are heading to Rwanda and Tanzania next summer, and found biz awards on DL, ATL-DXB. We then plan to fly DXB-NRB-KGL on KQ. DXB-NRB is a 5:15 hour flight. Debating whether to buy biz, or buy economy and possibly dump some Amex miles into our Flying Blue accounts to upgrade to biz. Or just stick with economy, period. Not a redeye flight so sleep isn't imperative, just wondering what their business seats/service are like. Also, any way to tell from a dummy booking what the specific biz fare code is? Only certain ones are upgradeable with Flying Blue miles, but for the life of me I can't see where it shows the code.

 

Flyertalker? Greatam? Anyone else with any experience on KQ? Thanks!

[FlyerTalker]

Have only flown on KQ once, from SEZ to NBO (not NRB) in business. 737 with a typical short-haul cabin - recliner seats. Service was fine - nothing over the top or particularly bad.

 

KQ business lounge at NBO is nothing to write home about. DL SkyClubs are nicer, which should say a lot.

 

I would be sure to check the equipment on that route. Some KQ flights are on the 787, others use a 737. Would be more hesitant to use the money/miles for the 737.

 

Finally, is there any way you could get award seats DXB-NBO? That's how we ended up on KQ; SEZ-NBO on KQ, then NBO-AMS and AMS-LAX on KL and then AS to SEA. KVS can research this using the AF award method. If you put this with your existing res, you should be able to do it for the one award to Africa rate.

[waterbug123]

Have only flown on KQ once, from SEZ to NBO (not NRB) in business. 737 with a typical short-haul cabin - recliner seats. Service was fine - nothing over the top or particularly bad.

 

KQ business lounge at NBO is nothing to write home about. DL SkyClubs are nicer, which should say a lot.

 

I would be sure to check the equipment on that route. Some KQ flights are on the 787, others use a 737. Would be more hesitant to use the money/miles for the 737.

 

Finally, is there any way you could get award seats DXB-NBO? That's how we ended up on KQ; SEZ-NBO on KQ, then NBO-AMS and AMS-LAX on KL and then AS to SEA. KVS can research this using the AF award method. If you put this with your existing res, you should be able to do it for the one award to Africa rate.

 

Thank you. We may still try to get the whole thing on one award ticket but obviously will have to call DL to do it, as KQ doesn't show up on DL's online booking page. We have a bunch of Amex miles that can be dumped into assorted FF programs, but also a bunch that are already with DL, so booking via DL is easier. And just doing the DXB-NBO-KGL leg on a Flying Blue biz award was 150k...no thank you! We may still try to string the entire thing together on one award but are waiting til our return date is available before we call.... that way we can look at both one way and round trip possibilities. If we find a better deal we can redeposit the miles (and rebook) with no penalty, but wanted to grab the seats to DXB while they were available, as we were having no luck at all booking online ATL-AMS-KGL (our original plan) for our travel date.

 

What you said about KQ seats is more or less what I expected. The flight we would likely book if we do it this way is on a 737 I believe, not the 787 (and then an Embraer for the final :35 to KGL)

 

This is the first time we've had to really get creative in figuring out how to get from point A to point B, affordably, in business (preferably, for most legs), but it's been fun learning. I had no idea, for instance, that KQ was part of the Flying Blue program; thought that was just AF/KLM!

[FlyerTalker]

For a number of years, KL was supplying technical support and maintenance to KQ. After the airline was privatized, KL bought about a quarter of the stock, becoming the second largest stockholder behind the Kenya government (which kept the largest block of shares).

 

Flying Blue has become the omnibus FF program for the AF group, much like Miles & More covers the LH airlines (Swiss, Austrian and LH).

[waterbug123]

For a number of years, KL was supplying technical support and maintenance to KQ. After the airline was privatized, KL bought about a quarter of the stock, becoming the second largest stockholder behind the Kenya government (which kept the largest block of shares).

 

Flying Blue has become the omnibus FF program for the AF group, much like Miles & More covers the LH airlines (Swiss, Austrian and LH).

 

Interesting, and good to know. Thus far within Sky Team, we have flown mainly AF/KLM when not on DL, plus one or two domestic (Euro) connections on Alitalia. Started to look into connections involving Air Europa or Czech Airlines for a flight into IST last year, but ultimately were able to confirm use of GUC's to fly DL into AMS, and just went ahead and flew coach the rest of the way. So again, kind of venturing out of our DL/AF/KLM comfort zone for the first time and learning a lot!

[FlyerTalker]

The world of partners opens up a lot of options. Plus, if you get partner seats, they are at the LOWEST SkyPeso redemption level. So, in effect, if you fly only partners you are for sure paying the least number of miles. (Yes, you can get hit with fuel and other surcharges, so watch those). With the elimination of printed award charts, this is huge.

 

Air Europa is a good trick to have up your sleeve for flights in/out of BCN. Will need to then get to/from MAD, but you're not fighting the cruisers who want non-stops. Czech has even less utility than AZ, but could be a river cruise option.

 

In Asia, you have a ton of options you can use. Korean hubs through Seoul, China Eastern through Shanghai, China Southern through Guangzhou, China Airlines through Taipei, Garuda through Jakarta, and Vietnam at Hanoi and Saigon.

 

My really secret tricks for SkyTeam: 1) Use Aerolineas or AeroMexico for South American routings - they don't show on DL's website and agents forget to look them up. 2) Use AeroMexico for TATL flights via MEX. Agents look at KL and AF and AZ and forget about AM. 3) The killer secret: To Sao Paulo from LAX on KOREAN!! Then look to Gol or Aerolineas for the final leg. Have yet to find an agent who even knew that KE flew to South America.

 

And one more bonus: If you can't get seats from LAX to Tokyo, head down to Tijuana. AM has a daily non-stop from there to NRT. (There are ground transport options from SAN).

[waterbug123]

Wow, KE to South America, who knew?! More great info, and I'm printing and putting in my travel file for future reference.

 

As luck would have it, I checked again yesterday just for kicks and grins and out of the blue, award availability had opened up for our entire itinerary all the way from FLL to KGL with the expected connection at AMS.... for only 70K one way in Biz! As the miles had come out of a diamond medallion account there was no charge to redeposit, so I called the medallion desk and 5 minutes later had the new tix confirmed. Save a bunch of miles, the co$t of the KQ connection, and the overnight hotel in DXB. We'll save the DXB stop for another time when we can actually spend more than 20 hours there.

 

Really appreciate your info and tips. Cheers!

[FlyerTalker]

IIRC, Flying Blue opens up their award seats only 10 months out. So for those who rely on the more traditional 330 or 331, it may seem that nothing is available. Perhaps that's part of what happened in you now getting awards seats on KL.

 

Suggest that you get a Flying Blue account, if only to be able to 1) see the FB award calendar on the AF/KL websites and 2) to use the AF search method in KVS.

[waterbug123]

IIRC, Flying Blue opens up their award seats only 10 months out. So for those who rely on the more traditional 330 or 331, it may seem that nothing is available. Perhaps that's part of what happened in you now getting awards seats on KL.

 

Suggest that you get a Flying Blue account, if only to be able to 1) see the FB award calendar on the AF/KL websites and 2) to use the AF search method in KVS.

 

My undertanding is that Flying Blue awards open up 10 months out for Flying Blue members, but 11 months/330 days out for others such as Delta. That seems backwards, but it makes sense as far as what we were finding... we are not yet within 10 months of our travel date but the awards ARE available to us now, it seems to just be a matter of which day you want; some are available, others aren't.

 

I do have a Flying Blue account and will keep the KVS search in mind for future reference!