Aviation
Commercial /
Africa
Above the limit
In order to reduce costs, Kenya Airways flies its B787 Dreamliner faster
Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner
Kenya Airways
Anna Zvereva, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Rafael Ramos
11/25/2021
It may seem counter-intuitive, since greater speed equals greater energy (fuel) expenditure. However, Kenya Airways has instructed its Boeing 787 Dreamliner pilots to fly faster than usual for these planes. The strategy is adopted on long-distance routes.
For example, the route connecting Nairobi, Kenya, to Guangzhou, China typically takes approximately 10 hours and 30 minutes. With practice, the company would be able to reduce travel time to something around 9 hours.
The new schedule forces crews to fly the 787-8 at a Cost Index (CI) of 300. This index is calculated by dividing the cost of time (flight hour cost) by the cost of fuel per gallon/kilo /liter. Such a high CI represents fast cruising with minimal emphasis on fuel economy. For the Boeing 787-8, the CI must be between 45 and 110.
Part of the total savings comes from the fact that with shorter flight times, the crew can also be smaller. According to information, the number of pilots can be reduced from 4 to 2, directly impacting the cost of the flight. However, having only two pilots on board for long flights can cause a lack of rest opportunity, causing greater fatigue for pilots and compromising flight safety.
Kenya Airways, for its part, defends itself by saying that it complies with laws and agreements. Paul Njoroge, the company's director of operations, commented on the matter: “The agreement between the company and the union allows flights of up to 10 hours and 30 minutes with just two pilots, and all flights are made in accordance with the Brazilian law. Kenya and according to Boeing manuals, within union agreements”.
Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Image: Boeing
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Rafael Ramos
Aviation enthusiast from an early age, he had his first contacts with the area developing that good old habit of spending dozens of hours in front of the screens of Micrsoft Flight Simulator and other simulators. With a solid background in various technological areas, including engineering and chemistry, Rafael has rejoined aviation as editor and author of articles and materials on our portal, providing invaluable help to the dynamics and expansion of the website and the aeronautical community, bringing us the news and updates so indispensable for us to remain current in our area of operation.
   
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