Kenya Airways taps Branchspace to push into modern airline retailing

Kenya Airways has selected Branchspace to support Project Kifaru, a digital commerce overhaul aimed at making the airline a true retailer from day one. The move is designed to improve customer experience, raise direct sales and ancillary revenue, and position Kenya Airways as an early adopter of modern airline retailing in Africa.

Why it matters: - Kenya Airways is moving to a retail model that gives the airline more control over pricing, offers and customer experience. - The shift is intended to improve direct sales share and ancillary revenue. - Kenya Airways says the new setup should create a more flexible and personalized experience for customers and staff. - The partnership positions Kenya Airways to become the first airline in Africa, and an early SkyTeam member, to adopt modern airline retailing.

What happened: - Kenya Airways selected Branchspace to deliver new-generation digital commerce and transformation consulting services. - The work supports Project Kifaru, Kenya Airways' digital transformation initiative. - Branchspace's Triplake platform will be part of the rollout from the outset. - The airline is working with Sabre PSS on the broader transition. - Julius Thairu, Chief Commercial and Customer Officer at Kenya Airways, said the airline sees the deal as an important transformation of its technology and digital retailing capabilities.

The details: - Triplake will serve as Kenya Airways' primary digital touchpoint at launch. - Commercial teams will have direct control over personalized offers across customer channels. - Kenya Airways will gain ecommerce capabilities immediately, rather than waiting for a full Offer/Order transition. - The underlying move to Offer/Order infrastructure will continue behind the scenes. - The setup is designed to let Kenya Airways experiment, iterate and bring new commercial ideas to market on an ongoing basis. - The airline wants digital retailing to scale with its network and broader growth plans. - Branchspace says its approach gives airlines control over their commercial destiny, supported by ongoing know-how and innovation. - David Turton, Branchspace chief technology officer, said Kenya Airways is taking a bold step in its transformation to a modern retailer.

Between the lines: - The deal reflects a wider airline industry shift away from legacy systems toward more flexible digital commerce models. - Kenya Airways appears to be choosing a phased transition, using ecommerce tools now while the back-end architecture changes more gradually. - That approach lowers the wait time for commercial gains and reduces dependence on a single technology swap. - The emphasis on direct sales and ancillary revenue suggests Kenya Airways is looking for more profitable customer relationships, not just a new booking front end.

What's next: - Kenya Airways will continue the Project Kifaru rollout with Branchspace and Sabre PSS. - The airline will use the new platform to test and launch new commercial offers over time. - The broader Offer/Order transition is expected to progress in parallel with day-to-day retail operations. - Kenya Airways is aiming to build a sustainable digital and commercial ecosystem that can scale with future growth.

The bottom line: - Kenya Airways is using Branchspace to accelerate its shift into modern airline retailing now, instead of waiting for a complete systems overhaul.