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Fly 748 set for domestic return from May
Fly 748 had only entered the scheduled domestic passenger market in May 2021, offering services to key routes including Mombasa, Malindi, Diani, Kisumu, and Maasai Mara.
Aviation firm-748 Air Services, is set to resume domestic passenger flights in Kenya from May 1, marking a return to a market it exited just over three years ago amid weak demand and a strategic shift.
The airline will restart operations with the Nairobi–Ukunda route, according to an official familiar with the plans, signalling a cautious re-entry into the competitive domestic aviation space.
“We’re resuming operations beginning next month, and we’ll start with the Nairobi-Ukunda route,” the airline official who did not wish to be named said in a phone interview.
A spot check shows that flights on the Nairobi–Mombasa route are also open for booking from the same date, pointing to a broader rollout beyond the initial route.
The comeback marks a turnaround for 748 Air Services, which suspended all domestic scheduled flights in March 2023 after operating in the segment for less than two years.
At the time, the airline said the decision followed an internal review of its business strategy, opting instead to focus on its core humanitarian aviation operations across Africa.
The withdrawal effectively saw the carrier cede ground in Kenya’s domestic market, which has historically been characterised by thin margins, price-sensitive travellers, and periodic demand shocks.
Fly 748 had only entered the scheduled domestic passenger market in May 2021, offering services to key routes including Mombasa, Malindi, Diani, Kisumu, and Maasai Mara.
Its relatively short stint highlighted the structural challenges facing smaller carriers in Kenya, where competition from established players and fluctuating passenger numbers often undermine sustainability.
The firm was founded in the mid-1990s primarily as a charter operator serving humanitarian and cargo missions across East and Central Africa.
Over time, the carrier built a niche in supporting relief operations in remote and conflict-affected regions, including South Sudan and Somalia, before diversifying into commercial passenger services.
The latest return to domestic flights signals a re-evaluation of strategy, likely driven by improving market conditions as well as renewed demand for regional air travel.
Kenya’s domestic aviation market has been gradually recovering from the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, which significantly reduced passenger traffic and forced airlines to scale down operations.
