Jambojet launches flights to Lamu, Malindi and Ukunda

New routes expected to boost domestic tourism

12th March, 2015

Kenyan low cost carrier Jambojet has launched flights to three new destinations in the country’s coastal region, namely Lamu, Malindi and Ukunda (Diani). The first flights on the new routes will take off from Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on March 28 2015.

The airline, which will commemorate one year in operation on April 1 2015, is targeting the growing domestic travel market comprising tourists, traders, investors, government workers and employees of local and international aid agencies to cement its position in Kenya’s nascent low cost airline market.

The move by Jambojet is also likely to be well-received by the tourism sector, which has been pushing domestic tourism as a recovery measure following decline in foreign guest arrivals linked to insecurity.

Jambojet fares from Nairobi to Lamu will start at Ksh 5,950 ($65); Nairobi to Malindi Ksh 4,950 ($55); Nairobi to Ukunda Ksh 4,950 ($55) all one way (including taxes). The airline will also operate short flights connecting Lamu and Malindi at Ksh 2,950 ($33).

According to Jambojet CEO Willem Hondius, the airline has chartered one Bombardier Q400 turboprop aircraft from DAC Aviation to service the new routes. This type of aircraft is capable of operating at shorter runways and is behaving like a jet aircraft in terms of speed and comfort.

“We have chartered this aircraft to complement our current fleet of three Boeing 737 planes which are serving the existing routes. However, the Q400 will also be utilized on Kisumu and Eldoret in order to improve the product on these two routes,” said Hondius, adding that there were plans to grow its fleet as it mulls new destinations in the East African region.

Hondius says the decision to fly to the new destination is strategic. “Lamu and Malindi are leading tourism destinations, globally acclaimed for their pristine beaches and unique cultural sites. Ukunda, also known as Diani, has an airstrip serving Kenya’s busy south coast tourism circuit. By flying to these destinations, Jambojet will be hoping to tap the anticipated increase in traffic especially to Lamu where the government plans to construct a $5 billion port,” said Hondius.

Jambojet, a subsidiary of Kenya Airways, sells tickets from as low as Ksh 2,950 one way. The airline, which currently flies to Mombasa, Nairobi, Eldoret and Kisumu says it has flown about 500,000 customers in its first year of operation, signalling huge potential for growth in the future. The airline relies heavily on online ticket sales through its portal www.jambojet.com. It has positioned itself as a provider of affordable air travel in a country with a rapidly expanding middle class and growing economy.

Jambojet considered best low-cost carrier for Kenya in the World Airlines Awards

Jambojet ranked best low cost carrier in Kenya at the 2014 World Airline Awards.

Thursday 17th July 2014

The World Airline Awards are regarded as a benchmark on passenger satisfaction levels for airlines throughout the world - delivering a unique survey format based on analysis of business and leisure travelers, across all cabin travel types (First, Business, Premium Economy and Economy class passengers).The survey’s transparency and global coverage distinguish the awards as a most prestigious and respected quality recognition for the industry.

Barely three months since it started operations, Jambojet continued its ascendancy being feted as the fourth best low-cost airline in Africa after such big names as Mango, Fastjet and Kulula. This award recognizes the front-line budget airline service that Jambojet has pioneered and is providing in Kenya by making it possible for more people to fly. The latest entrant in Kenya’s aviation sector, Jambojet flies between Nairobi and the key Kenyan cities of Mombasa, Kisumu and Eldoret, operating a fleet of three Boeing 737-300. 

“We are happy to have been accorded this prestigious and respected rank in Africa. This is a valuable endorsement of our business model as we continue to realize our vision of offering travelers the services of a true low cost low fare airline,” said Willem Hondius, Jambojet CEO.

“Although low-cost airlines in East Africa have had a hard time surviving in the past, Jambojet will strive to be the exception as we seek to actualize our vision of making flying possible for everyone”, affirmed Mr. Hondius.

In the past month, Jambojet has increased the frequency on its route to Eldoret to enable passengers to travel twice daily via a timely and affordable means.

From left to right: Jambojet Managing Director, Willem Hondius (left) shares a light photo moment with Cabinet Secretary for Transport and Infrastructure Eng. Michael Kamau, Jambojet cabin crew Caroline Moraa and Jambojet Chairman Ayisi Makatiani (right) during the livery launch of Jambojet on 27th March 2014.

Jambojet cabin crew Husnah Omar and Celestine Maina during the livery launch.

Jambojet records high on-time performance

November 18, 2014

Low cost carrier Jambojet has recorded its highest on-time performance (OTP) for the month of October at 92%, one of the highest in the market. Over the last 6 months the airline has maintained a high OTP averaging at 85%. On-time performance is the primary internationally accepted standard by which airlines and airports measure reliability. OTP is measured by comparing the actual departing time of an aircraft against its schedule departure time.

Jambojet Managing Director Willem Hondius said the airline has put concerted effort to ensure all its flights are on time and record a high turnaround rime to better serve its customers. “Departing and arriving on time is one of the most important things for our customers and we have worked hard to ensure we deliver on this. It is of utmost importance to deliver a reliable flight schedule,” he said. “We are very happy with this performance, which is one of the highest in Kenya and strive to maintain it.”

As part of ensuring the airline maintains its record OTP it will be publishing its monthly results on www.jambojet.com every month.

Jambojet has seen an increased demand for flights in the market since its launch, breaking down barriers of flying by making it affordable for everyone to fly. With prices as low as Ksh 2,950 one way, the airline has attracted a good uptake with an average of 43,000 passengers monthly. The airline operates flights between Nairobi and Mombasa, Kisumu as well as Eldoret.

In August, Jambojet introduced a tool on its website that allows customers to find the lowest fares on offer online. The tool is ideal for passengers flexible on their travel date, making a source for finding cheap airfares and saving.

Jambojet partners with Safaricom to support call center

Low cost airline can handle higher call traffic as demand for tickets continues to grow

May 19, 2014

Kenya’s low cost carrier Jambojet has partnered with the country’s largest communications services provider, Safaricom, to strengthen its customer service platform as it continues to register increased ticket sales. Through the partnership, Jambojet will lease Safaricom’s Call Centre facilities, the largest and most advanced in the region, to attend to customer queries.

Jambojet, which launched domestic flights to key cities in Kenya on April 1 this year, says the deal with Safaricom is expected to provide the level of scalability required to cope with the fast growth in passenger numbers it has continued to experience.

“The number of phone calls we received in April was more than expected and we therefore could not service the customers the way we would like to. With Safaricom, we have more than doubled our call handling capacity,” said Willem Hondius, CEO of Jambojet. He added that with the additional capacity from Safaricom, the carrier can comfortably scale up its call center in case it overshoots its current capacity. “We are delighted to be working with Safaricom given their experience and scale,” noted Hondius.

Safaricom’s Director of Customer Care, Pauline Warui, noted that Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) provides companies with the flexibility to hand over work to experts thus allowing them to focus on delivering on their key competencies. “Safaricom runs the largest, busiest and the most technologically advanced Call Centre in the region. Subsequently, this has placed us in a good position to outsource this expertise to other organizations in the country with much success. We are therefore glad to have Jambojet on board in what we believe will be a successful partnership,” she said.

With tickets starting as low as Ksh2,850 ($33) one way, Jambojet is keen on tapping the large number of Kenyans who pay a similar amount for an eight to ten hour road trip between Nairobi and Mombasa, a distance of 500 kilometers.