Captain Irene Koki Speaks After African Hall Of Fame Honours

Koki was recognised on Saturday, October 22 in the fourth edition of the awards for her amazing efforts in the African aviation industry.

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Oct 24, 2022 - 10:27 Updated: Sep 2, 2023 - 21:56
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Captain Irene Koki Speaks After African Hall Of Fame Honours
Captain Irene Koki inside a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. /FILE

Africa’s first female Boeing 787 Dreamliner captain, Irene Koki Mutungi, has termed the induction to the Hall of Fame at the Aviator Africa Conference and Tower Awards held in Johannesburg, South Africa, an honour.

Koki was recognised on Saturday, October 22 in the fourth edition of the awards for her amazing efforts in the African aviation industry.

The theme of the year’s conference was Sustainability of African Aviation, which sought to promote the development and sustainability of African Aviation and its allied stakeholders.

Captain Irene Koki poses for a photo at the Aviator Africa Conference & Tower Awards held in Johannesburg, South Africa on October 22, 2022. /IRENE KOKI MUTUNGI.TWITTER

Koki was feted alongside Kenya Airways' (KQ) Head of Network Planning, Martin Gitonga who won the coveted Sustainability award. He and Koki were the only Kenyans feted at the award ceremony.

"Congratulations Captain Irene Koki and Martin Gitonga, KQ Head of Network Planning for the wins at the Aviator Africa Conference and Tower Awards."

"Captain Koki was inducted into the Hall of Fame while Martin won Sustainability Award," read part of the statement by KQ.

Koki on Monday, October 24 termed the award as a huge achievement for her, having been in the aviation industry for more than two decades.

"I am extremely honoured and humbled to be inducted into the Aviators Africa Hall of Fame. After working in the aviation industry for over 25 years, I am earnestly grateful for this recognition," she wrote.

The Aviators Africa Award is also known as the Tower Awards and was designed as an event to recognise, celebrate, and honour excellence as well as sustainability within the African Aviation sector.

It seeks to appreciate organisations and acknowledge individuals who have contributed immensely to the growth of African Aviation. This is in a bid to foster new thinking and promote healthy competition, originality, and creativity, for sustainable growth in the sector.

Tower Awards prides itself as home-grown and is positioned to be the foremost annual aviation event where airlines, airports, and the aviation value chain are celebrated in Africa.

Among the many accolades Koki is known for is being the first female pilot in Africa to command the revolutionary Boeing 787 aircraft as its Captain. This is an aircraft that can travel great distances across the world through fuel-efficient methods.

She was hired as Kenya Airways' first female pilot in 1995 and served as the only female pilot for six years. In 2004, Koki became the first woman to command a Boeing 737.

In September 2014, she was the designated Captain on the Nairobi to Paris route on the B787. In 2018, she commanded KQ's non-stop maiden flight to New York, USA- a flight on which former President Uhuru Kenyatta was on board. 

A Kenya Airways plane taking off from JFK Airport in New York. /MSHALE

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