Allan Kilavuka exits Kenya Airways with $1 million pay as airline posts $132 million loss in 2025

Kenyan business executive Allan Kilavuka left Kenya Airways with a total compensation of $1.01 million in 2025, according to the airline’s annual report, as the national carrier reported a sharp return to loss for the year. The payout came at the end of his tenure as Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Kenya Airways, which ended on December 15, 2025.

The disclosure shows that Kilavuka’s total compensation of KSh131.07 million ($1.01 million) included KSh75.4 million ($581,000) in pensions and other benefits, alongside a basic salary of KSh55.68 million ($430,000). In 2024, his total pay stood at KSh74.07 million ($571,000), reflecting a lower pension component of KSh15.67 million ($120,700) and a higher proportion of basic salary at KSh58.4 million.

Kilavuka led Kenya Airways through pandemic disruption

Kilavuka led Kenya Airways from April 2020 until his exit in December 2025, serving as Group Chief Executive Officer. His tenure began at a time when the airline industry was facing severe disruption, with global travel restrictions and supply chain challenges weighing heavily on operations. He previously headed Jambojet Limited, a low-cost subsidiary of Kenya Airways.

Over the course of his leadership, Kilavuka oversaw efforts aimed at stabilizing operations through a period marked by uneven demand and constrained fleet availability. His background includes more than two decades of experience in management and corporate leadership, with roles spanning organizational restructuring, financial planning, and operational integration.

Kenya Airways posts $132 million loss in 2025

Kenya Airways’ financial performance in 2025 reflected ongoing pressures across the aviation sector. The airline reported a loss after tax of KSh17.16 billion ($132.3 million), reversing a profit of KSh5.43 billion ($41.9 million) recorded in 2024. Revenue fell to KSh161.47 billion ($1.24 billion) from KSh188.5 billion ($1.45 billion) a year earlier, driven by lower passenger volumes and reduced seating capacity.

The airline attributed the decline in part to a 14 percent drop in revenue and a 13 percent fall in passenger numbers, as available seat capacity contracted by 18 percent. Operations were also affected by the temporary grounding of three Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft due to engine availability constraints and global supply bottlenecks. As a result, available seat kilometers fell to 13,349 million, limiting the airline’s ability to sustain earlier levels of traffic.

Rising finance costs added further pressure, with net finance expenses reaching KSh12.32 billion ($95 million) during the year. The figures point to a period in which Kenya Airways continued to face cost pressures and operational limits, even after a brief return to profitability in 2024. The latest results suggest the airline is still working through an uneven recovery, shaped by fleet constraints, shifting demand, and wider industry challenges affecting carriers.