Kenya Airways

Kenya Airways is the flag carrier of Kenya and a member of the SkyTeam alliance, operating from its hub at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. Its fleet combines Boeing 787-8 and 737-800 aircraft with Embraer 190 regional jets, serving a network across Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The airline is one of Africa's most established carriers and is currently working through a multi-year recovery plan focused on fleet restoration and network optimisation.

Flying for Kenya Airways

Kenya Airways trains and develops crews through the KQ Pride Centre, its Nairobi-based training arm and a recognised regional aviation training hub. The airline has run an ab-initio cadet pilot programme aimed at developing qualified Kenyan citizens as pilots, with entry requirements including strong secondary-school grades in mathematics, English and physics; intakes run periodically rather than continuously, so candidates should monitor official announcements. Experienced pilots join through direct-entry recruitment onto the Embraer and Boeing fleets.

Selection for both cadet and direct-entry roles is competitive, combining computer-based aptitude and psychometric testing with interviews, medical assessment and, for experienced pilots, simulator evaluation. With far more applicants than places on each cadet intake, preparing thoroughly for the aptitude and cognitive testing stages is one of the most effective ways to stand out.