Kenya Airways (KQ) has announced operational adjustments to meet the surge in travel demand ahead of the state burial of the late Raila Amolo Odinga in Bondo, Siaya County.
In a statement shared on the airline’s official X (formerly Twitter) account on Friday, October 17, 2025, the national carrier confirmed it has increased flight frequencies to Kisumu over the weekend to accommodate the thousands of mourners traveling to the region.
“We’ve increased our flight frequency to Kisumu over the weekend to accommodate the high travel demand,” KQ stated.
According to the announcement, additional flights have been scheduled for Friday and Saturday, including:
- KQ656, departing at 1:30 PM
- KQ658, departing at 7:00 PM
Kenya Airways also revealed it has upgraded several flights to larger Boeing 737 aircraft on Sunday, October 19, 2025, coinciding with the day of Raila Odinga’s burial.
The upgrades include:
- KQ650 (6:50 AM) – upgraded to Boeing 737
- KQ654 (8:05 AM) – upgraded to Boeing 737
- KQ671 (7:00 PM) – upgraded to Boeing 737
- KQ670 – also upgraded to Boeing 737 for Monday operations
“We remain committed to ensuring seamless travel for all our guests,” Kenya Airways assured in the statement, adding that the adjustments are aimed at supporting Kenyans traveling to pay their final respects to the former Prime Minister.
A Special Tribute to Raila Odinga
The operational changes come just a day after Kenya Airways made a historic tribute to the late Raila Odinga by changing its flight call sign midair to RAO001—his initials—upon entering Kenyan airspace.
In a touching gesture shared on social media, KQ confirmed that Flight KQ203, returning from India, switched to RAO001 at approximately 8:50 a.m. as it entered Kenya’s skies.
“KQ203 will change to RAO001 as soon as we reach Kenyan airspace at around 8:50 a.m. to honour and respect our departed leader. ETA at JKIA is 9:30 a.m.,” the airline posted.
The move was widely praised by Kenyans and global aviation enthusiasts alike, who hailed it as a fitting tribute to a man whose influence transcended politics and inspired generations.
