Captain Irene Koki has denied reports that she has been chosen as the lead pilot during Kenya Airway’s maiden non-stop flight to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport from Nairobi.
Through a post on social media, Captain Koki said that she was overwhelmed by the response but Kenya Airways (KQ) had not made the selection.
Koki noted that her participation at a media event with the US Secretary of Trade was misconstrued to imply that she was to fly the plane to New York.
“Thank you for all your kind words and congratulatory messages. I’m truly overwhelmed but Kq has not yet selected who gets to do the inaugural US flight.
“It was a press assumption after a media event I recently attended with the US Secretary of Trade. I hope I get the honour though,” wrote Mutungi.
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KQ will start flying directly to the US from Kenya as of October 28. A journey that will last 15 hours, a huge reduction from the over 22 hour’s trip made on regular flights today.
The plane is expected to depart the JKIA at 10.30pm every day, land at JFK t 6.30am and return form the USA at 1.30pm.
Koki is Africa's first female Dreamliner captain.
