Kenya Airways traffic from China rises despite chaos

By Helen Nyambura-Mwaura

NAIROBI, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Kenya Airways' (KQNA.NR: Quote, Profile, Research) passenger traffic from China rose in January despite a post-election crisis which has hit business on other routes including Europe, its chief executive said on Thursday.

The national carrier's business fell 15 percent in January compared to the previous year, as travellers cancelled business and holiday tripsto east Africa's biggest economy.

"Amazingly, the Far East, which we opened a few years ago ... is one market that is holding very strongly," chief executive Titus Naikuni told a press conference.

"We haven't seen any dip, in fact, we've seen the opposite. It's an increase in terms of passengers coming from China."

The national carrier has flights to Hong Kong and Guangzhou. Passenger numbers to India had also increased, after Air India dropped its flights to Nairobi, Naikuni said.

Kenya Airways was now flying to Mumbai, he said, adding that Western and Central African routes had also held up.

Most tourists have cancelled or postponed holidays to Kenya after images of its legendary wildlife and landscapes have been eclipsed by scenes of violence broadcast around the world.

Protests against President Mwai Kibaki's disputed re-election last month have turned into ethnic clashes and killed some 850 people.