Kenya Airways (KQ) has attributed its flight disruptions on its route to shortages of spare parts amid supply chain disruption.
In a statement, KQ said that deliveries of aeroplanes have been impacted due to scarcity of components.
KQ CEO Allan Kilavuka blamed the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war for the problem, as the aviation industry supply chain is heavily reliant on Russia’s Titanium.
“We wish to inform our customers that we are experiencing some flight disruptions. These are as a result of delays in getting our aircraft, which are undergoing scheduled maintenance, back into operations due to global challenges with the supply of some aircraft components,” Kilavuka added.
The airline reckons that it does not have extra aircraft capacity to alleviate delays.
“For example, 100 percent titanium used on Embraer and 35 percent titanium used on Boeing are sourced from Russia. With a limited inventory, airlines have had to look worldwide to find the parts they need,” it stated.
Shortage of employees in Europe and North America where airlines get their components have also impacted the supply chain.
‘This has exacerbated the delay in supply chains and compromised the availability of components for airlines. From the onset we would like to assure our customers that we are doing everything possible within our control to reduce the impact of these supply chain delays on our operations,” he said.
The company said that it was working with partners to address the challenge.
“We are also actively engaging our OEM (original equipment manufacturer) partners to work on mitigation measures which should ensure continuity of our network and operations," they added.
KQ noted that it will be forced to reschedule flights if the shortage persists.
