Why Kenya Sevens Rugby team used Qatar Airways and not KQ
As the Shujaas arrived home to a heroic welcome, tongues wagged over their grand entrance aboard a Qatar Airways plane.
What many did not however know was that despite Kenya Airways’ sponsorship, it is Qatar Airways that has a contractual agreement with World Rugby.
Kenyans on twitter went ham on KQ, claiming it had extended too much kindness to Qatar Airways allowing them to bring the team home.
Interestingly, the officers handling Kenya Airways social media accounts were also clueless and kept terming it as an “airline to airline agreement” consequently leading to a generation of interesting memes.
This even as Kenya Airways CEO Mbuvi Ngunze sought to clarify the transport issue by explaining that Qatar has a contract with World Rugby.
“I want to make clarification on certain issue going on at social media about the carrier which brought the team home, that carrier is the official carrier for all teams in IRB,” he stated.
The United States Rugby team is sponsored by Fly Emirates, but boards Qatar Airways while on tour same case for Samoa Rugby and Siva Airways who sponsor the team.
The sponsoring airline can however provide additional tickets for other officials and even fans as was the case for Fiji Airways during the just concluded HSBC World Rugby Singapore Sevens.
Kenyans had hoped that after bagging the first main cup, Shujaa’s would arrive into the country aboard the national carrier.
History was made on Sunday as Kenya Sevens rugby team thrashed heavyweights Fiji 30-7 in the finals of Singapore Sevens for their first ever Main Cup title in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
