AIRWAYS DILEMMA: Breakdown Of How It Costs To Hire a KQ Plane To US and Back
According to the Kenya Airways website, a Business class return ticket costs Sh847,715.
Over the last week, the most talked-about topic in Kenya has been the cost of President William Ruto’s weeklong visit to the United States.
The visit was at the invitation of US President Joe Biden for a state visit.
The elephant in the room was Ruto and his delegation’s decision to travel to the United States by private jet, with some Kenyans arguing that he should have used the national carrier for the trip.
While the cost is unknown, despite the numerous questions raised, the head of state stated on Sunday that the amount spent on the plane was less than what would have been spent on Kenya Airways, the national carrier.
“Fellow Kenyans, I have noted concerns about my mode of transport to the USA. As a responsible steward of public resources and in keeping with my determination for us to live within our means and that I should lead from the front in so doing, the cost was less than travelling on KQ,” the President said.
Ruto, on the other hand, did not specify how much he paid for the hired jet or how much he would have paid if he had to fly with Kenya Airways.
The Royal jet used by the President had a capacity of 34 seats, and multiple reports estimate that the cost of hiring a Boeing business jet like the one Ruto used during his visit to the United States ranges around $18,000 per hour, or approximately Sh2,358,000.
A journey to Atlanta, US, where Ruto first made a stop, takes about 19 hours from Kenya, costing around Sh71,404,500 one way.
Parking fees, days spent with it, and landing and take-off taxes all add up to a higher total cost.
According to a spot check by the Star on the Kenya Airways website, a Business class return ticket to New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport costs Sh847,715.
This amount, multiplied by 30 business class seats on a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, equals Sh25,431,450.
According to Kenya Airways, the Dreamliner has 204 economy seats, with a return ticket priced at Sh264,230. This means the total would be Sh53,902,920.
Hiring an entire KQ plane requires paying for all available seats, bringing the total cost of traveling to and from the US to Sh79,334,370.
The prices of the tickets would decrease depending on the time of booking.
There are also additional costs involved, such as parking fees and the number of days spent with the plane, which will be factored into the final cost of hiring.
The amount includes take-off and landing taxes.
Had the President used the national carrier, additional costs would have been incurred for his movements in the US, as his first stop was in Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and later on the Andrews Air Force Base.
AIRWAYS DILEMMA: Breakdown Of How It Costs To Hire a KQ Plane To US and Back
