Kenya Airways, founded in 1977, currently services about 51 mostly African destinations from its base in Embakasi, Nairobi, although it also flies to a selected amount of European hubs as well as some in the Far and Middle East. In 2014 it carried around 4.2 million passengers, and has often been named African Airline of the Year by African Aviation Magazine.

What are Kenya Airways Airway’s Baggage Allowance Limits and Fees?
How Can I Contact Kenya Airways?
What Are My Kenya Airways Check-in Options?
Kenya Airways Additional Fees and Charges
What Kenya Airways Amenities Are There?

What are Kenya Airways Airway’s Baggage Allowance Limits and Fees?

Kenya Airways Hand Luggage Size
Kenya Airways Checked Luggage Size
Excess Baggage
Sports Equipment and Special Luggage

Kenya Airways Hand Luggage Size

The dimensions for carry-on baggage are set at 55 x 35 x 25 cm. Shown below are the cabin bag weight allowance for Kenya Airways Airways depending on ticket class:

• Economy: 1 piece + 1 accessory with a combined maximum weight of 12 kg.
• Premier World: 2 pieces + 1 accessory with a combined maximum weight of 12 kg.

Note that if you plan to bring any liquids into the cabin, you can do so as long as they are stored in containers no bigger than 100ml and are carried in a clear, re-sealable plastic bags with maximum dimensions of 20 x 20cm. Each passenger can carry a maximum of 1000ml (e.g. 10 x 100ml).

Kenya Airways Checked Luggage Size

Shown below are the checked luggage weight allowance for Kenya Airways Airways depending on ticket class:

• Economy: 2 pieces with a maximum combined weight of 23 kg.
• Premier World: 2 pieces with a maximum combined weight of 32 kg.

For all tickets a maximum travel weight of 32 kg per item of baggage applies.

Excess Baggage

Any additional checked in baggage items will incur excess baggage fees.

The first and second piece of extra baggage is charged at a flat rate of US$50 on domestic routes, with fees increasing for additional pieces and more distant destinations.

Click here for a full overview of all fees related to excess baggage as determined by route and ticket class.

Sports Equipment and Special Luggage

In general, sporting equipment is considered as a standard piece of baggage, but with a maximum total dimension of 300cm (L + H + W). However the following items are not included in normal baggage allowance and are charged as special items:

• Bike/Tandem
• Scuba Tank
• Surf Equipment/Board longer than 107 cm

Note kayaks and canoes are not accepted as baggage and must be carried as cargo.

How Can I Contact Kenya Airways?

Customer Service
Delayed, Missing or Damaged Luggage
Kenya Airways Compensation

Customer Service

Kenya Airways can be contacted on +254 20 327 4747.

Delayed, Missing or Damaged Luggage

Should you discover that your checked in luggage has been delayed or damaged, you will need to report this to the Kenya Airways customer service team or by calling the above number so that an official report can be filed. You will then receive a written confirmation with a reference number.

For items that are delayed or missing, you can use your tracking reference number to trace your baggage online here.

Kenya Airways Compensation

For damage or loss of baggage, and where the Warsaw Convention applies, the applicable limit is normally taken to be 17 Special Drawing Rights per kilo for checked baggage and 332 Special Drawing Rights in the case of unchecked baggage.

Where the Montreal Convention applies, the applicable limit is 1,131 Special Drawing Rights per passenger (or any such sum as provided under Article 21 paragraph 2 of the Montreal Convention).

What Are My Kenya Airways Check-in Options?

Mobile Boarding Passes
Priority Boarding
Flying With Children
Seating for Babies and Children
Unaccompanied Children
Flying While Pregnant
Senior Fares
Group Bookings
Travelling With Wheelchairs
Flying With Guide Dogs
Pets

Mobile Boarding Passes

When booking a flight with Kenya Airways, eligible passengers can check-in online from 30 hours ahead of departure here.

Currently you cannot check in using your smartphone, but you can use the online process to have your boarding pass sent to you via email that you must print and take to the airport. If you have already received your boarding pass, you can check in your bags at one of the dedicated online check-in drop-off points and proceed to the boarding gate.

Priority Boarding

Business Class customers and all SkyTeam Elite Plus members (including Flying Blue Gold and Platinum members) have the following benefits:

• Priority at ticketing desks
• Priority at check-in areas and drop-off
• Priority at document control and security
• Priority at transfer desks
• Priority boarding
• Priority baggage handling

Note SkyPriority is only available to passengers buying First Class and Business Class tickets, as well as to those passengers holding valid SkyTeam Elite Plus cards.

Flying With Children

Infants less than 28 days old cannot travel on Kenya Airlines flights.

Children aged up to 2 years, are not required to have their own seat.

Passengers intending to fly with an infant must inform Kenya Airways if they will be traveling with an infant on their lap. 10% of the applicable adult fare must be paid for the infant.

Only one infant under 2 years is permitted to be seated on an adult’s lap in flight but if you have a second child under two with you, you have the option of booking a seat and taking an appropriate child restraint system such as a baby car seat or child seat.

Seating for Babies and Children

All infants need to be held on the lap of the accompanying adult during take off and landing, after which they can be put into a baby cot. Kenya Airways provides baby cots free of charge on request. The maximum allowable weight on the baby cot (bassinet) is 11 kg (24.25 Ibs).

Unaccompanied Children

Children aged between 5 and 18 years may only fly unaccompanied if they are using the Unaccompanied Minor service, the form for which can be downloaded here.

These children must be accompanied as far as the airport and the parent/guardian escorting the unaccompanied minor must remain at the airport until the flight departs. The Unaccompanied Minor service can be arranged by calling +254 20 3274747.

Flying While Pregnant

Expectant mothers with complication-free pregnancies can fly with Kenya Airways until the end of the 36th week of pregnancy.

However, the airline requires that expectant mothers beyond the 28th week of their pregnancies carry a letter from a doctor (available here) which includes the following:

• Confirmation that the pregnancy is progressing without complications.
• The expected due date.
• The doctor should expressly state that the patient’s pregnancy does not prevent her from flying.

Note any multiple or complicated pregnancy requires clearance from a Kenya Airways doctor.

Senior Fares

Kenya Airways does not offer any special fares specifically for seniors.

Group Bookings

Group bookings can be made via Customer.relations@kenya-airways.com. In your request, you will need to give the following information:

• Name of the person to be contacted.
• A daytime telephone number.
• Number of passengers (including children).
• Flight dates.
• Destination.

Travelling With Wheelchairs

Passengers requiring the use of wheelchairs and other mobility aids like lifting aids need to inform the airline at the time of their ticket reservation. For journeys starting in London, contact UKRES@kenya-airways.com with your booking details.

Ensure the request is made at least 72 hours before departure.

Flying With Guide Dogs

A guide dog or a service dog can be taken into the cabin if it’s providing assistance to a guest with reduced mobility. The dog needs to be certified to travel free of charge.

Dogs travelling as Emotional Support Animals “ESAN” also need to comply with all acceptance rules, including all required health and import documentation i.e. from certified doctor.

Contact the Airline’s cargo guidance team in advance to register the guide dog as part of the normal booking procedure.

Pets

With the exception of guide dogs, Kenya Airways does not transport live animals.

Kenya Airways Additional Fees and Charges

Travel Insurance
Flight Change Fees
Flight Cancellation Policy
Seating
Kenya Airways Frequent Flyer Program

Travel Insurance

Kenya Airways does not offer its own insurance directly or through 3rd parties.

Flight Change Fees

At the time you purchase your ticket, you will be advised of taxes, fees and charges not included in the fare, most of which will normally be shown separately on the Ticket.

Note that Kenya Airways states that any taxes, fees and charges imposed on air travel are constantly changing and can be imposed after the date of ticket issuance.

Flight Cancellation Policy

If the airline cancels a flight, fails to operate a flight reasonably according to the schedule or fails to stop at your destination you can either:

• Take the next scheduled service on which space is available without additional charge and, where necessary, extend the validity of your ticket; or
• Within a reasonable period of time, fly to the destination shown on your ticket using the airline’s own services or those of another carrier, or by other mutually agreed means and class of travel, without additional charge. If the fare and charges for the revised routing are lower than you have paid, the airline shall refund the difference; or
• Receive a refund.

If your flight is cancelled, you may also be entitled to financial compensation but only if  the cancellation is not attributed to extraordinary circumstances such as bad weather conditions, political instability, strikes, security, risks, unexpected flight safety shortcomings.

More information about Kenya Airways compensation can be found here.

Seating

You can change seats for yourself and your travel companions during Internet check-in by using the “Change” function on the “select preferred seat” screen.

If you have already selected your seat at the time of reservation, you can check or change your seat if preferred. Seats are available according to the seat map displayed.

Kenya Airways Frequent Flyer Program

Kenya Airways is a partner in the frequent flyer program, Flying Blue. For a complete overview, click here.

What Kenya Airways Amenities Are There?

Lounges
In-Flight Refreshments
In-Flight Entertainment

Lounges

Two lounges are available to passengers on the second floor of the Jomo Kenyatta Airport, the Simba Lounge near the Central Search, and the Pride lounge next to gate 17.

In-Flight Refreshments

Snacks and hot and cold beverages are available on all international flights.

In-Flight Entertainment

In-flight entertainment is offered on board all Kenya Airways long-haul flights. Passengers can choose from a range of movies, TV series, audio books, CDs, radio stations and games.

For an overview of the in-flight entertainment offered on long-haul Kenya Airways flights, click here.