President Ruto’s Jet Choice Under Scrutiny: Cost Comparison with Kenya Airways Raises Questions
He opted for a luxury jet from Royal Jet airline instead of a Kenya Airways (KQ) flight, claiming that the KQ option was pricier.
To confirm this assertion, KTN News looked into the costs associated with both travel options.
Kenya Airways started direct nonstop flights to JFK International Airport in New York in 2018, with a flight duration of about 15 hours.
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Reporters checked the Kenya Airways website and requested a quote for a round-trip business class ticket from Nairobi to New York.
The highest-priced business class ticket costs around Sh847,000 for a round trip.
When rounded up to Sh1 million per ticket, the total cost for seats similar to those on President Ruto’s Boeing Business Jet would be Sh34 million.
President Ruto’s Boeing Business Jet includes eight VIP seats, eight business seats, and 18 standard seats.
If KQ tickets were booked according to the various seat classes on the chartered plane, the cost would have been significantly lower, with a difference of about Sh164 million, according to the report.
This investigation by Emmanuel Too suggests that President Ruto’s claim about the KQ flight being more expensive than his luxury jet may not be accurate.
Kenya Airways disputes the press statement on Ruto’s remarks.
Meanwhile, Kenya Airways (KQ) has firmly denied the authenticity of a viral statement circulating online.
The document, which purportedly addressed the ongoing public debate about President William Ruto’s use of a luxury private jet for his US state visit, has been declared fake by the airline.
Kenya Airways clarified that it did not issue the statement and urged the public to ignore the misinformation.
The controversy stems from President Ruto’s defense of his choice to use a luxury private jet, describing it as a cost-effective measure for the state visit aimed at securing substantial investments for Kenya.
“Fellow Kenyans, I have noted concerns about my mode of transport to the USA. As a responsible steward of public resources and in keeping with my determination for us to live within our means and to lead by example, the cost was less than traveling on KQ,” President Ruto wrote.
A one-way trip from Nairobi to Atlanta, Georgia on the luxury jet takes about 18 hours at a cost of approximately Sh98 million.
A round trip increases the cost to more than double, costing taxpayers over Sh200 million, considering travel from Atlanta to Washington D.C., a two-hour journey.
President Ruto’s Jet Choice Under Scrutiny: Cost Comparison with Kenya Airways Raises Questions