History made as Kenya Airways flies Africa to Vietnam

Kenya Airways Group Chief Executive Officer Mbuvi Ngunze (right) and Vietnamese officials at the maiden KQ landing in Hanoi, Vietnam. [PHOTO: JOE OMBUOR/ STANDARD]

It was an epic moment for Kenya Airways as it became the first African airline to launch a direct route into Vietnam with a spectacular entry at Noi Bai International Airport in the capital, Hanoi.

The red, white and green Boeing 787-800 from Nairobi with the slogan ‘The Pride of Africa’ stenciled conspicuously on its flank broke through the clouds for a smooth landing and taxied to a halt at 11.55am Vietnam time, nine hours from takeoff from JKIA under the command of Captain Eric Mbugua to be greeted with water sprays hosed from a waiting tanker.