Bill_H

Trying to choose a flight from Nairobi to Amsterdam, the KLM flight leaves late (I think after 11 PM) and arrives at 5:30 the next morning, one of those over-night flights from hell (I hate the one from Arusha to AMS!). I guess this is OK if you are catching an AM flight to the US from AMS but we will likely overnight in AMS.

The Air Kenya flight leaves around noon and arrives before 7 PM, much better hours for us old, creaky travelers. So we're thinking of taking this one but wondering if anyone knows their carry-on baggage policy (not just what they say, but what they actually do) and also the seat pitch for us tall travelers.

I think we won't get FF miles for the AK flight either (Continental member), which is another reason to go KLM, but the hours are certainly better for us on AK. Anybody have experiences with AK?

Bill

Patty

It's Kenya Airways (KQ). Air Kenya flies domestically and to/from JRO.

KQ just finalized their entry into Skyteam this month so you should be able to earn Continental miles. Looks like they haven't updated the earning page on their website yet http://www.continental.com/web/en-US...e/default.aspx

I've only flown KQ intra-Africa ex-NBO and they didn't really pay any attention to our carry-ons, but our bags are also fairly compact in size. The official limit is 10kg with a max size of 56cm X 36cm X 20cm.

Patty

You'll also want to check with Continental to see what fare codes on KQ qualify for mileage earning.

For Delta Skymiles, it says "Kenya Airways:
Mileage may be earned on Kenya Airways flights operated by Kenya Airways or any SkyTeam partner. Mileage credit is not applicable for fares booked in V, G, X, D, and W class."

https://www.delta.com/skymiles/ways_...line_partners/

Many times the excluded fare codes are award or other types of non-revenue fare codes, but sometimes deep discounted fares also don't qualify. I don't know enough about the specifics of KQ so this is just a generalization. I do know that D is the fare code for business class awards because I just booked one yesterday.

sandi

If the KQ flight departs 12N, you have to had been in NBO the night before, so consider this in your plans. If doing an o/n or a few days in AMS, with this flight, then it makes sense arriving 7pm.

I'm usually on the 10:15pm KLM flight to AMS (arriving sometime between 6-7am) and then connect to the States. I no longer wait for the flight to JFK as the layover is way too long, rather the flight into EWR which departs about 9:30am.

While I flew Emirates last year, previously on KLM my carryon bag (size or weight) wasn't an issue. Unless bag obviously is too large or appears to weight too much, Schiphol is a good transfer point.

Bill_H

Has anyone actually flown Kenya Airlines from Nairobi to AMS with two carry-on bags? On their web page they state <b>&quot;Kenya Airways accepts only one piece of hand luggage of not more than 10kgs&quot;</b> and this is a deal-killer for us due to large camera bags plus a laptop bag.

No problems thus far with these on six flights on KLM to/from Arusha - AMS.

Bill

Bill_H

<b>I'm usually on the 10:15pm KLM flight to AMS (arriving sometime between 6-7am)</b>

Sandi, this sounds more like the flight from Arusha to AMS, the one that stops in Dar?

The flight options from Nairobi listed on the KLM site for January are these:

depart 23:10 arrive 5:30 AM KLM (747) 8 hrs 20 min
or
depart 11:35 arrive 18:50 KA (767) 9 hrs 15 min

Not sure why the Kenya Air flight is almost an hour longer, supposedly it's non-stop.

But the &quot;one carry-on&quot; restriction will keep us from flying them I guess. At least we won't waste two hours going to Dar like from Arusha

Bill

Patty

I've carried on a camera bag and a messenger type bag that I use as a purse while traveling on KQ. I think the laptop could qualify as one of the allowable items in addition to your one carry-on based on this list:

<i>List of items allowable unconditionally in cabin
Free carry on items:
The following items may be carried free of charge by all passengers except infants;
- 1 overcoat, wrap or blanket
- 1 umbrella or walking stick
- 1 ladies handbag
- A reasonable amount of reading material
- 1 small camera
- Small laptop
- 1 collapsible baggage trolley
- Crutches and/or braces/prosthetic devices, which the passenger is dependent on.</i>

http://www.kenya-airways.com/kqdispi...ge_Information

Bill_H

Thanks Patty, your link has more info than the terse link I found at
http://www.kenya-airways.com/kqdispi...64&amp;fcc=114

So maybe we'll go with them after all.

They should give you a commission

Bill

sandi

Bill -

International flights do not depart Arusha (domestic) airport, rather from Kilimanjaro which is 1/hr away. I've never departed JRO specifically because it first flies to DAR to pick-up passengers before heading to AMS.

So, it's always been from NBO and has been a 10:15pm flight. Airlines, do however, change their flight schedules, so understand that for time of year when you're flying they depart 11-something.

As Patty's list indicates, you should be fine with your cameras and laptop departing Africa and even thru AMS. While all European airports were to go with the &quot;one-bag only&quot; rule, as out of London, doesn't seem that they've done so (rumor has it that London will be discontinuing this...maybe).

As I mentioned previously, on my Emirates flight their carryon limit is 22&quot; bag, 15-lbs. Well, that was a laugh as I saw 26&quot; bags which I can assure you all weighed more than the allowance. My small bag was probably the only one that met their requirements.

roomoo

We had no problem taking duffles plus backpacks on board this past July. We actually were worried about the carry-on policy and so were prepared to check the duffles--but the check-in agent at NBO actualy laughed when we tried to check them and said to carry them.