Is Kenya Airways business class worth it?
3 MINUTE READ
There is something quietly satisfying about catching a short-haul business class flight done properly. No transatlantic pretensions, no flatbed theatrics, just a well-considered service that respects your time and treats you like a grown-up. Kenya Airways’ flight KQ783, business class, a three-hour hop from Cape Town to Livingstone, manages exactly that.
Starting Well: The Bidvest Lounge, Cape Town
Business class passengers on this routing enjoy access to the Bidvest Lounge at Cape Town International, and it earns its keep. Comfortably furnished without being ostentatious, it was pleasantly uncrowded - a rarity in itself these days. A reasonable spread of hot and cold food was on offer, backed by a full bar service. Nothing to write home about in terms of culinary ambition, but entirely adequate for a pre-departure hour.
The Aircraft: Embraer 190
The Embraer 190 is a sensible choice for African regional routes. A narrow-body twin-jet that handles shorter runways with ease. This particular aircraft was approximately fourteen years old, and Kenya Airways operates a fleet of thirteen of them across the continent. Don’t let the age put you off; these are workhorses that know their routes well.
A bus transfer to the aircraft suggested air bridges weren’t on the agenda today, a minor inconvenience on a cold Cape Town morning. Once aboard, the business class cabin presented a one-plus-two seating configuration. Seat 4A, a solo window seat, offers the better arrangement for the lone traveller who prefers not to negotiate armrests.
A small but welcome surprise awaited in the seat pocket: an amenity kit containing lip gloss, face cream, flight socks, a pen, and a comb, all neatly packaged in a reusable carry pouch. It’s a thoughtful touch that punches above the weight of a three-hour flight.
The crew were genuinely warm, attentive without hovering. Kenya Airways image.
The Service: Where Kenya Airways Earns Its Stripes
A glass of sparkling wine was offered before departure, a small but civilised gesture that sets the right tone. Once airborne, the meal service began promptly, which on a three-hour flight is not optional; it’s a logistical necessity.
Warm bread rolls arrived first, followed by a choice of three main courses that showed genuine kitchen ambition: Pepper Grilled Beef Fillet with sautéed butternut, baby potatoes, creamed spinach and mushroom sauce; Fish Curry with herbed basmati rice, sautéed red peppers and steamed chunky carrots; or Spinach Ravioli with roasted brinjal, three-cheese crumble and sun-dried tomato cream sauce. These are not the anaemic options you might expect at altitude - each course offers real substance and variety. The meal concluded with a passion fruit and coconut cake that managed to be both light and satisfying.
The crew throughout were genuinely warm, attentive without hovering, efficient without being mechanical.
One Honest Caveat
The seat-back screen and USB charging port were present but non-functional on this flight, the former apparently decorative, the latter producing no charge. This is a legitimate gripe. For a business class passenger who expects to arrive in Livingstone with a charged device, it matters. That said, by the time the meal service concluded and the last of the Karibu duty-free catalogue and the engaging MSAFIRI in-flight magazine had been browsed, the descent had already begun. On a three-hour sector, entertainment is a nice-to-have rather than a necessity. The inoperative port is harder to excuse.
The Seasoned Traveller’s Verdict
Kenya Airways KQ783 is a quiet overachiever. For a regional short-haul service, the business class offering lounge access, a proper amenity kit, genuine food choice, and outstanding crew, represents solid value. The Embraer 190 is not glamorous, but it is reliable and suited to the route.
The inoperative screen and USB port are a maintenance issue that should be addressed; they undermine an otherwise well-presented product. But for those connecting to Livingstone - gateway to Victoria Falls and Zambia’s Lower Zambezi - the journey itself is a pleasant start to what is invariably a remarkable destination.
Kenya Airways earns its motto here. The Pride of Africa is not mere marketing; on this flight - at the very least, it’s a fair description.
