After covering 13,000km, Kenya Airways’ inaugural 15-hour non-stop flight to the US touched down at the John F Kennedy International Airport at exactly 2.07pm Kenyan time, signalling the start of direct commercial connection with the Big Apple.

Previously, Kenyan travellers and traders were forced to connect through other airports since Jomo Kenyatta Internation Airport (JKIA) was not categorised as Category 1.

There was a huge applause from passengers delighted to have been part of the historic moment.

The aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, piloted by Captain Ndichu Kinuthia, left Nairobi on Sunday at 10.45pm after it was flagged off by President Uhuru Kenyatta, shortly after the passengers boarded from gate 19.