Safe Air, a Kenyan-based charter airline, is set to expand its operational capacity and enhance services to its clients with the acquisition of two Boeing 777-200ER widebody aircraft. The company has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Air Charter Service (ACS), a UK-based aviation brokerage firm, for a 36-month operating lease of the two B777-200ERs.
The first aircraft, with registration N837KW (msn 32896), is scheduled for delivery in November 2023, while the second aircraft, N836KW (msn 33395), is expected to join the fleet in early December 2023. These aircraft, previously operated by JAL – Japan Airlines, are owned by Alta Airlines Holdings and have been stored at Mojave. Safe Air plans to utilize the newly acquired B777s within the Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance (ACMI) and charter markets.
Captain Mohamed Hussein Al-Sheiba, Deputy Chairman at SafeAir, expressed excitement about the expansion: “We are thrilled to announce the signing of this LOI for the delivery of two B777-200 aircraft. These aircraft will significantly expand our operational capacity and enable us to provide exceptional services to our clients in the ACMI and Charter market. We are confident that the B777-200’s exceptional performance and reliability will contribute to the continued growth and success of SafeAir.”
With this strategic fleet expansion, Safe Air aims to reinforce its position as a regional player in the African aviation industry. In addition to the B777s, Safe Air has also wet-leased an A330-200, registered as JU-1332 (msn 272), from Eznis Airways, a Mongolian carrier. The A330-200 has been deployed for Hajj pilgrimage flights.
Safe Air’s current fleet includes one B727-200 and two B727-200(F) aircraft. The airline previously utilized two A321-200s, wet-leased on an ad-hoc basis from Fly2Sky, for passenger charters out of Dubai International. The company had also revealed plans to dry-lease two A330s to initiate scheduled international flights and expand its services to undisclosed international destinations.
Safe Air obtained non-scheduled domestic and international air service licenses from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) in May 2022, enabling the airline to operate passenger, cargo, and mail services within Kenya, Africa, the Indian Ocean Islands, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia.
