Kenya Airways Keeps European Routes Flying as Airline Gradually Recovers from the Middle East Airspace Crisis

Despite a turbulent period driven by Middle East airspace closures, Kenya Airways continues to operate its core European routes, offering reassurance to UK travellers planning trips through Nairobi this year.

Kenya's flag carrier is pressing ahead with services to London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Amsterdam Schiphol, and Rome Fiumicino, even as it navigates one of the most disruptive phases in its recent history. For British travellers, that means East Africa and beyond remain firmly within reach.​​​​​​​

The turbulence began in early 2026, when escalating tensions linked to the US-Iran conflict led to sweeping airspace closures across the Middle East. Airline routes that had long relied on flying over Iranian and Israeli airspace were forced to reroute at short notice. Kenya Airways, which operates a major hub at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, was among the carriers affected — particularly on its long-haul services to Asia and flights connecting through Gulf airports.

The airline's Middle East network bore the brunt of the disruption, with some services suspended or reduced. However, European routes were largely shielded from the worst of the impact and have continued to operate throughout this period.​​​​​​​

As of April 2026, Kenya Airways is operating flights to London Heathrow on a daily basis, with Amsterdam and Paris Charles de Gaulle also running six times weekly each, scaling up to daily services from July 2026. Rome Fiumicino is also operational, though flights are currently taking slightly longer routings to avoid restricted airspace corridors.

In a notable operational development, Kenya Airways launched a triangular routing connecting Nairobi, Paris CDG, and Amsterdam on a single service — the airline's first one-stop European operation in five years. The service, operated using the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, has been extended into the second quarter of 2026, running once weekly alongside the existing direct frequency. It reflects the airline's creative approach to maintaining European connectivity during a period of fleet constraints.​​​​​​​

A significant part of Kenya Airways' challenges in 2025 stemmed from the grounding of three of its Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners due to global supply chain disruptions affecting engine parts availability. With a third of its wide-body fleet out of action, the airline was forced to reduce capacity across several international routes. The first of the three grounded aircraft returned to service in July 2025, with the remaining two back by the end of the year — a development that has directly supported the restoration of European frequencies heading into 2026.

For those booking from the UK, the picture is encouraging. Kenya Airways' core European services are running, frequencies are increasing, and the airline is actively rebuilding capacity after a difficult 18 months. Travellers should be aware that some flights may operate with slightly extended journey times due to ongoing rerouting, and that Middle East connections remain subject to change as the regional situation develops.

Those with upcoming travel plans are advised to check the latest schedules before departure and book with flexibility where possible.