SafariLink Aviation has expanded its fleet with a new Cessna Grand Caravan EX aircraft, betting on sustained growth in Kenya's tourism sector and rising demand for flights to the country's premier safari destinations.
The new aircraft brings the airline's fleet to 17, comprising 12 Cessna Grand Caravans and five Dash 8 aircraft, strengthening the carrier's capacity on domestic safari routes.
The airline said the additional aircraft will improve scheduling flexibility, enhance operational capacity and support growing passenger demand.
"This latest fleet addition reflects our continued investment in growth and our commitment to providing dependable air transport services across our network. The Cessna Grand Caravan has proven to be an exceptional aircraft for serving regional and remote destinations, and the arrival of 5Y-SLS further reinforces our ability to meet increasing customer demand while supporting connectivity and economic development," said SafariLink Chief Executive Alex Avedi.
The expansion comes as Kenya continues to record robust growth in international tourist arrivals, boosting demand for domestic air travel to wildlife destinations.
Mr Avedi told the Business Daily that the airline's latest investment is primarily aimed at increasing capacity on its safari network, where demand has remained strong.
"This is to augment capacity on our safari routes. We're simply adding capacity to meet growing demand," he said.
He attributed the fleet expansion to the sustained recovery and growth of Kenya's tourism industry.
"There's been strong tourism growth in Kenya over the last three years," Mr Avedi said.
According to the airline, the additional Caravan EX will support flights to key destinations, including the Maasai Mara and Amboseli. It will also serve the recently launched routes linking the Maasai Mara with Mombasa and Diani via Ukunda Airstrip.
The CEO noted that the Maasai Mara remains the busiest safari destination on the airline’s network.
