Kenya Airways has selected Branchspace, a boutique travel technology and consulting firm, to deliver new generation digital commerce and transformation consulting services as part of the airline's move to modern retailing experiences. The partnership, announced on September 23, 2026, will see Branchspace's Triplake platform and consulting support underpin Kenya Airways' Project Kifaru digital transformation initiative, jointly delivered alongside Sabre PSS.
According to Julius Thairu, Chief Commercial and Customer Officer at Kenya Airways, the transformation is crucial for the airline's technological and digital retailing capabilities. "This is an important transformation of Kenya Airways' technology and digital retailing capabilities, and we are pleased to work with Branchspace as a best of breed provider in this field," Thairu said. "The combination of digital commerce and a new PSS foundation will help us create a more flexible and personalised experience for our customers and staff, and enable a seamless transition towards the future of airline retailing."
Branchspace's Triplake platform will serve as Kenya Airways' primary digital touchpoint from the outset, giving commercial teams direct control over personalized offers across every customer channel. Rather than waiting for a full shift to Offer/Order infrastructure, Kenya Airways will gain best-of-breed ecommerce capabilities immediately, allowing the airline to start operating as a true retailer now while the underlying transition to Offer/Order progresses seamlessly behind the scenes.
The partnership is designed to support Kenya Airways' broader ambitions for innovation and growth, giving the airline's teams the tools to experiment, iterate, and bring new commercial ideas to market on an ongoing basis rather than being tied to the pace of legacy technology cycles. As Kenya Airways continues to expand its network and ambitions as Africa's leading carrier, this foundation is intended to let digital retailing scale alongside that growth, turning customer experience into a lasting competitive advantage.
David Turton, Chief Technology Officer at Branchspace, commented, "This partnership reflects exactly what we set out to build at Branchspace: technology that gives airlines control over their own commercial destiny, supported with know how and continuous innovation to remain at the cutting edge. Kenya Airways is taking a bold step in their transformation to a modern retailer, and we're proud that our capabilities will be central to making that vision real from day one."
The engagement positions Kenya Airways to become the first airline in Africa, and an early SkyTeam member, to adopt modern airline retailing. This supports the carrier's goals of improving customer experience, increasing direct sales share, growing ancillary revenue, and building a sustainable, future-proof digital and commercial ecosystem. For more information, visit www.branchspace.com or www.kenya-airways.com.
This move underscores the growing trend among airlines to embrace digital transformation to stay competitive. By adopting Branchspace's Triplake platform, Kenya Airways aims to enhance its retailing capabilities, potentially setting a benchmark for other African carriers. The partnership could also impact the broader travel technology sector, highlighting the demand for flexible, scalable ecommerce solutions that enable airlines to operate as true retailers.
