Kenya Airways Seeks MRO Partnership with SAA Technical

Kenya Airways (KQ, Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta) is considering a strategic partnership with SAA Technical (SAAT), the maintenance division of South African Airways, to enhance its maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) capabilities. Allan Kilavuka, Group Managing Director and CEO of Kenya Airways, revealed this plan during an interview with Aviation Week.

Currently, 65% of Kenya Airways’ internal MRO unit focuses on servicing its fleet, while 15% of its work supports third-party carriers such as LAM – Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique, RwandAir, and Astral Aviation. Kilavuka believes collaboration with SAAT, which has available tools, skilled personnel, and spare capacity, could significantly scale Kenya Airways’ MRO operations.

“We want to take a step further and explore SAA’s technical capabilities,” Kilavuka said. “Working collaboratively could help us grow by providing the tools, space, and expertise needed to expand.”

SAAT CEO Wellington Nyuswa echoed this sentiment, noting that SAA’s reduced fleet post-COVID has freed capacity for third-party MRO services. “A collaboration between SAA and Kenya Airways could be an example of the partnerships we need across Africa,” he said during a recent webinar.

The initiative aligns with Kenya Airways’ broader strategy to diversify revenue streams, with MRO services identified as a key growth area. The airline has also been advocating for a pan-African alliance since signing a strategic partnership framework with SAA in 2021.

Both airlines have recently returned to profitability and are seeking equity partners to support fleet expansion and long-term growth plans. Strategic talks are expected to resume soon.

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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com