Review Kenya Airways, Business Class, Johannesburg to Nairobi

Paul's Flight Report for
Kenya Airways
Alliance: SkyTeam
Flight: KQ765
Route: JNB - NBO
Aircraft: Embraer E190AR
Flight Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
Business Class

General Impression: 🐑🐑🌿

Before the Flight :
Check-in Process: 🐑🐑🐑
Security Control : 🐑🐑🐑
Lounge: 🐑🐑🐑🐑🌿
Information: 🐑🐑
Boarding @ Gate: 🐑🐑
Staff @ these points: 🐑🐑🐑
Boarding in Cabin: 🐑🐑🐑
Welcome Drinks: 🐑🐑🐑🐑
Punctuality: 🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑🎉, 15min early
During the Flight :
Food presentation: 🐑
Food quality: N/A
Drinks: 🐑🐑🐑
Service Procedure: 🐑
Amenity Kit: 🐑🐑🐑
Entertainment System: 🐑
Seat Quality: 🐑🐑🐑
Legroom: 🐑🐑🐑🐑
Lavatories: 🐑🐑🐑🐑
Cleanliness: 🐑🐑🐑🐑
General Atmosphere: 🐑🐑🐑
Announcement Pilots: 🐑🐑🐑
Announcement Cabin: 🐑🐑🐑🐑
Cabin Crew: 🐑🐑🌿
After the Flight :
De-Boarding: 🐑🐑🐑🐑🌿
Baggage Delivery: N/A in Transit
—-
🐑 = bad, a lot of work needs to be done
🐑🐑 = poor, you will be busy with corrections
🐑🐑🐑 = good & normal, nothing special
🐑🐑🐑🐑 = high level, but the icing on the cake is missing
🐑🐑🐑🐑🐑 = topnotch, leave me here!
🌿= Half a Point/sheep
—-

The departure time of our Johannesburg–Nairobi flight was scheduled for 1:35 AM, almost in the middle of the night.

On the ground:
We have now taken flight KQ765 four times over the last two years.
When we arrived at check-in around 21:45 local time, only the priority counter was open and illuminated. The other counters seemed closed, and only one additional counter was staffed, but with no signage.
The baggage belt was not working at check-in, and bags were being piled up next to the counter.
The agent was very new, but friendly and helpful.
Only one security checkpoint was open in Terminal A at that time of night.
There was no queue, and we were screened with no waiting time. Security staff were friendly.
There was no priority lane at international departures for security.
Right after security in Johannesburg are the emigration counters.
Only one counter was open, but there was no queue at all.
Kenya Airways has changed lounge providers in Nairobi since our last flight.
They have now contracted the Aspire Lounge. The lounge is modern, designed in warm colors, with modern furniture and a bar. It is spacious and offers plenty of seating.
F&B offerings were good, including a hot buffet and a large cold buffet with various salads, cheese, snacks, fruit, and desserts.
Soft drinks are self-service, while all alcoholic drinks are served at the bar.
Finally, this lounge stays open until 00:30, which is close to boarding time, so guests can actually remain there until departure.
The old SAA lounge closed at midnight and asked all guests to leave.
As the aircraft arrived on time in Johannesburg, boarding began at the scheduled time.
Since there is no microphone system at JNB, an agent called out to the crowd.
Priority boarding was also called out. 😉
Gate agents were friendly but fairly neutral and simply doing their job.

At the aircraft door, we were greeted by the senior cabin crew member, the captain, and another crew member.

Once boarding was completed, welcome drinks were distributed, offering four different options, including champagne.

The seats were already prepared with a fluffy pillow and a blanket. The amenity kit was placed in the seat pocket and included the usual items (socks, toothbrush, eye mask, earplugs, a comb, and a pencil).
The crew also handed out small bottles of water.
Inflight:
Kenya Airways’ business class on their Embraer 190 fleet is a proper business class product.
Our aircraft had 12 business class seats in a 1-2 configuration.
The leg rest and recline are decent, but the aircraft is simply not suitable for an almost 4-hour night flight. It’s impossible to rest properly.
After takeoff, the crew distributed hot towels.
The menu, even a year later, is exactly the same as on our last two flights. The so-called light snack was essentially insignificant. I declined and opted for a drink only.
The tray was honestly a disappointment for a nearly 4-hour business class flight. Kenya Airways should be embarrassed to serve such a product.
I completely understand that a full service is unnecessary at 2:00 AM, but there are far better options than a few samosas and a small piece of meat on a full-size tray.
In my opinion, for this flight they should either:
– offer a drink and nuts after takeoff, let passengers sleep, and serve a small breakfast tray (yogurt, fruit, croissant) one hour before landing,
or
– if service must be offered after takeoff, serve a proper sandwich or hot panini.
But serving an almost empty full-size tray simply makes no sense.
A full drink service was offered alongside the snack.

The cabin crew were friendly, but overall unengaged. There was no interaction, effort, or visible motivation.

The lavatories were checked throughout the flight, restocked, and always clean.

The aircraft has a built-in inflight entertainment system, but it has been completely disabled by Kenya Airways.

Announcements by both the flight and cabin crew were clear, understandable, and well-paced.

We landed 30 minutes ahead of schedule and received a gate position.
As we were in transit in Nairobi and our bags were tagged to our final destination, we did not have to collect them.
Our summary:
Overall, a rather unpleasant experience. In our view, this is the wrong aircraft for this route. The crew, who could have made a difference, seemed unmotivated and delivered only the bare minimum.
If this had been my only experience with Kenya Airways, I would definitely not choose them again for future travel.
Notes:
- Paul the Sheep does not get any benefits from the Hotels/Airlines etc.
- Paul will always pay for the services in order to be able to rate freely and truly about the experiences.
-If you are interested in more details, please send me a private message and I will be happy to share.