Kenya Airways has taken a bold step beyond aviation with the launch of KQSafari Data, an innovative roaming solution designed to eliminate one of the biggest frustrations of modern travel: expensive and unreliable mobile data when abroad.

Developed in partnership with global roaming provider RoamBuddy and incubated through the airline’s Fahari Innovation Hub, the product represents a shift in how the national carrier is redefining itself in the competitive travel industry.

The service gives passengers access to more than 2,250 roaming plans in over 180 countries, allowing them to select packages tailored to their journeys. Whether it is a country-specific plan for a short business trip, a regional plan for multi-country travel, or a global package for frequent flyers, KQSafari Data offers affordable connectivity at a fraction of traditional roaming costs.

For decades, travellers have had to endure inflated charges from telecom providers or waste time swapping SIM cards on arrival. Kenya Airways is now positioning itself as the bridge that keeps travellers seamlessly connected across borders.

At the launch event, Kenya Airways’ Chief Customer and Commercial Officer, Julius Thairu, emphasised that the airline’s mission is not limited to transporting passengers from one city to another. Instead, the goal is to enhance the entire journey by addressing pain points that extend beyond the plane.

“Our guests deserve more than just a flight. They deserve a connected journey that is seamless, affordable, and stress-free. KQSafari Data ensures they can stay in touch with loved ones and businesses across the globe without worrying about high roaming costs,” Thairu explained.

RoamBuddy’s Chief Executive Officer, Mandeep Birdi, echoed the sentiment, describing the partnership as a testament to the power of collaboration in delivering meaningful solutions to travellers. According to Birdi, the joint venture is about reimagining how people connect when they travel abroad, with convenience, affordability, and peace of mind placed at the centre. 

The partnership reflects a shared vision: that innovation in aviation must go beyond planes and airports and directly enhance the passenger experience. But KQSafari Data is more than just a new service. It represents a critical pivot for Kenya Airways. The Fahari Innovation Hub, which nurtured this idea from the airline’s Open Innovation Challenge to a market-ready product, is proving that Kenyan innovation has the capacity to shape global solutions.

At a time when airlines across the world are under pressure to cut costs, increase efficiency, and reinvent their customer value propositions, Kenya Airways is showing that African carriers can be leaders, not just followers. By developing products that address real-world frustrations, the airline is repositioning itself as not merely a service provider but as an innovation-driven lifestyle brand.

For Kenyan travellers, the impact of this launch cannot be overstated. International roaming charges have long been a pain point. Many have landed in foreign cities, switched on their phones, and later received bills running into tens of thousands of shillings after just a week abroad.

KQSafari Data is a direct response to this reality. For tourists exploring Europe, business professionals negotiating deals in Dubai, or students settling into universities in South Africa, the fear of being cut off or going broke just to stay online is now a thing of the past.

The service will also be a boost to Kenya’s growing community of business travellers and digital entrepreneurs. In today’s global economy, constant connectivity is not a luxury—it is a necessity.

With affordable roaming through Kenya Airways, SMEs, freelancers, and corporate executives can manage meetings, keep up with clients, and run their businesses without the disruption and inconvenience of searching for local SIM cards or relying on unstable hotel Wi-Fi. This not only saves money but also saves valuable time, making Kenyan businesses more competitive on the global stage.

Beyond the practical savings, KQSafari Data is also a symbolic victory for Kenyan innovation. For years, the global travel industry has been dominated by solutions developed in Europe, North America, or Asia. With this launch, Kenya Airways is proving that African airlines and African innovation hubs can compete at the same level, solving universal problems with homegrown solutions. It is a bold message: Kenya is not just participating in global travel trends—it is shaping them.

Ultimately, KQSafari Data is about more than connectivity, but also about trust. Kenya Airways is making a statement that it sees its passengers not just as customers who buy tickets, but as partners whose journeys extend far beyond the aircraft cabin. By addressing the simple but essential need for affordable roaming, the airline is deepening its relationship with travellers and enhancing loyalty at a time when competition for passengers is fiercer than ever.

The bottom line is simple. With KQSafari Data, Kenya Airways has given Kenyans and international travellers alike the freedom to land in any part of the world, switch on their phones, and stay connected without the anxiety of financial shock.

It is the end of aeroplane-mode panic and the beginning of a new era where connectivity is as much a part of the travel experience as the flight itself. For Kenya Airways, it is a chance to prove that its future lies not just in aviation, but in leading Africa’s transformation into a hub of travel innovation.