Kenya Airways reported on Thursday a 63 percent drop in pre-tax profit for the six months ended September 2008 to KES1.05 billion shillings (USD$13.1 million) from KES2.8 billion in the first half last year.

The company, one of Africa's leading carriers, blamed the fall on a combination of a strong local currency during the period, high prices of oil, and the effects of Kenya's post-election crisis in January and February.

"We have remained profitable, despite the circumstances," chief executive Titus Naikuni told investors.