KQ CUTS 777 FLEET SENDS 10 PILOTS PACKING

National carrier Kenya Airways has released 10 pilots and reduced its active Boeing 777 fleet from 7 to 3 in a bid to stem losses being incurred by on the Jumbo Jet's routes.

The 10 are 777 pilots who were offered the opportunity to switch to the 787 but take a pay cut, a scenario the pilots' union refused to accept.

KQ is said to be increasing its fleet of the more fuel efficient 787 Dreamliner and the Embraer 190s for regional routes.

The triple-7s are the most expensive planes on the airline's fleet as well as the biggest.

It would appear a combination of both the cost of running them and the passenger numbers on the planes' routes have not been making money necessitating the move.

New CEO Mbuvi Ngunze is working to steer the airline back from record loss-making territory and cutting costs appears to be his approach.

KQ has also had to restructure some payments for its planes from the originally agreed time period with the new terms being mutually agreed upon with the companies that lease it the planes.

The airline will benefit from a VAT refund of Sh1.2billion out of the Sh3bn it was claiming from the taxman.

The airline opted to retire the 10 pilots early.