U.S. Congress vote awaited later today before Export-Import Bank’s renewed charter could mean good news for Kenya Airways

An unusual initiative by the US Congress, termed as a “Discharge Petition,” which was aimed to force a vote over the fate of the American Export-Import Bank, was successful as many Republicans sided with their Democratic counterparts to pass the resolution with 218 to 177 votes. The main vote is now expected later today to re-authorize the bank’s charter and re-start full operations, something the Republican majority in the House prevented earlier in the year.

The net outcome of preventing that vote for over a year by the Republican leadership was that American jobs were put at risk as the bank provides guarantees for for instance buyers of Boeing aircraft, allowing the aircraft manufacturer to sell aircraft in recent years at record pace. No guarantees would have translated in order cancellations and massive refunds and damaged for guarantee contracts already in place, something which the US economy would have found hard to sustain.

Affected in East Africa was Kenya Airways, when the remaining two, ready for delivery brand new Dreamliners were subsequently stuck in Seattle but a positive vote will turn the tide and have the birds take off soon afterwards to join the rest of the Kenya Airways fleet in Nairobi.

Also still due in November is a final delivery of the last order for Boeing B737-800NG’s this one also coming with the fancied Boeing SkyInterior, which lighting effects have found praise from passengers around the world. This new aircraft will also sport the new economy and business class seats in line with previous deliveries of this order. It is understood that the B737-800NG will be flying in SkyTeam livery with the Kenya Airways logo prominently displayed, promoting Africa’s only SkyTeam member across the airline’s network from East to West and South to North Africa.

No dates have been given for the ferry flights as yet but the delivery is an added sign that the tide has turned and renewed confidence about the airline’s future been injected into the market place.

The upcoming AGM of the company will see major changes on the Board of Directors as Chairman Evanson Mwaniki is stepping down with other Directors following suit.