Kenya Airways said Monday that demand for its flights has surged sharply in recent weeks, as the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war on Iran disrupts travel routes and reshapes global aviation patterns.
The airline reported that its passenger load factor — a key measure of seat occupancy — has climbed to nearly 100%, up from around 70% in January.
“We were at those lower levels until February, then demand increased significantly,” acting CEO George Kamal told reporters. “We’ve now reached between 90% and 99% across our network.”
Kamal said the strongest gains are coming from long-haul routes linking Africa with Europe, the United States and Asia, as travelers and airlines reroute away from parts of the Middle East affected by the conflict.
The war has forced carriers worldwide to adjust schedules, avoid certain airspace, and in some cases cancel flights altogether, tightening available capacity and pushing up demand on alternative routes.
Kenya Airways also said it is monitoring fuel supplies closely amid the disruption. The airline currently has around 56 days of jet fuel reserves and is working to secure additional supplies from India, according to flight operations head Paul Njoroge.
The shift highlights how the widening regional conflict is rippling through global travel and logistics networks, with African carriers emerging as key alternatives for intercontinental transit.