Jambojet resumes flights to Lamu after runway upgrade

Low cost brand of Kenya Airways also introduces circular flights for the coastal strip

January 8, 2015

Jambojet has rescinded their decision to suspend its flights to Lamu. This follows an announcement by Kenyan Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) that the repair works on the runway had been completed and Jambojet is now allowed to use the full runway in Manda Airstrip.

Commenting on the new development, Jambojet CEO Willem Hondius said that the refurbished runway will allow Jambojet to carry full capacity thus bringing more passengers to Lamu. “We are glad that the Ministry of Transport in conjunction with the regulator have made it possible for us to fly back to the heritage-rich island starting 15th January 2015.”

“Furthermore we are making changes to our schedules to introduce circular flights that will ensure non-stop flights for passengers between Nairobi and Lamu. This enables passengers for both Lamu and Malindi to fly non-stop on the routes.” He added.

The move by Jambojet to introduce the circular flights will certainly boost the resurgent tourism sector considering that Lamu is an important attraction forming part of the coastal tourism circuit. In 2015, the Island which is listed among the UNESCO World Heritage sites hosted over 20,000 visitors.

Currently, Jambojet flies the Bombardier Dash-8Q400 aircraft which carries 78 passengers on the Lamu route. It launched flights to the coastal archipelago famous as a tourist attraction in March last year and has since seen passenger numbers rise despite the capacity limitations. During the past period the total number of passenger travelling to Lamu went up by 71% compared to the previous year.

Jambojet, recorded a 17% jump in passenger numbers for the nine months ended December compared to the same period in 2014, buoyed by the introduction of various new routes including Lamu.

Jambojet increases daily flights to Eldoret

A move that will rise the airlines’ seat capacity by fifty percent each way

October 14, 2015

Kenyan low cost carrier Jambojet has increased its daily flights to Eldoret by fifty percent, each way, in a bid to tap into the growing number of passengers travelling to and from Uasin Gishu County and beyond.

Jambojet’s CEO Willem Hondius said the airline will now fly three times daily to Eldoret, except Sundays when it will operate two flights a day. The extra flights now give travellers in the region a wider choice with flexible and convenient timings.

“The increase in frequency will now see Jambojet increase its seat capacity by over fifty percent, each way, into a region that we have seen growth in terms of passage numbers,” said Mr Hondius. “We continue to target the growing domestic travel market comprising of tourists, athletes, lecturers, students, traders, investors and government officials in the region.”

The new flight will depart Nairobi at 1430hrs, arrive in Eldoret at 1520hrs, and depart Eldoret at 1540hrs and arrive in Nairobi at 1630hrs Monday through to Saturday. On Sundays it will depart Nairobi at 1000hrs to arrive in Eldoret 50 minutes later, departing Eldoret at 1100hrs to get into Nairobi at midday.

The Eldoret route is one of Jambojet’s key destinations where uptake has been high since inception in April 2014. The opening of a North Rift branch office in April this year, during a ceremony that was presided over by the Uasin Gishu County Governor, Jackson Mandago, has helped boost this growth.

Last month, the airline launched a campaign targeting first time flyers with a goal to demystify flying whilst highlighting the benefits it presents over alternative means such as road or rail.

Since inception last year April, the airline now flies to Eldoret, Kisumu, Ukunda, Lamu, Malindi, Mombasa and Nairobi. It flew over 500,000 passengers in its first year of operation and aims to surpass the numbers this year.

Jambojet records profits in first half year 2015

Jambojet records a KES 57 million half year profit

November 16, 2015

Jambojet, the low cost brand of Kenya Airways, today reported financial results for the first six months ending September, recording a profit of KES 57 million compared to a loss of KES 237 million during the same period last year.

Jambojet’s results show that for the period between April and September, the number of seats flown decreased by 6.6% while the number of passengers carried increased by 14% resulting in an increase in load factor to 75% versus 60% last year.

“We are very proud of these results. I'm delighted that after the startup losses during our first six months in 2014, we have now achieved a healthy growth margin during the first six months of this year. Due to our low cost model, we are able to offer very affordable fares and show a positive result at the same time,” said Jambojet CEO William Hondius.

The Kenyan Shilling depreciated against the dollar by 13% compared to the same period in 2014 as fuel costs decreased by 53%. The combination of the lower fuel cost and the stronger dollar diminished returns by KES 56 million.

Jambojet has seen solid progress in growth, increasing its daily flights to Eldoret by 50%, each way, and now flies three times daily to Eldoret, except Sundays when it has two flights a day.

“Our introduction of the two Bombardier Q400 aircraft made it possible to add new routes resulting in an increase in customers. We now have more work and opportunity ahead to ensure more Kenyans can access affordable flights as we continue to execute our long-term plan,” added Hondius.

Jambojet’s commercial initiatives continue to gain traction with the recent completion of the runway extension at Ukunda Airport by Kenya Airports Authority which will help boost business and tourism in the coastal region. Jambojet will now be able to fly close to full capacity on its Bombardier Q400 aircraft which carries 78 passengers.

Since introducing flights to Ukunda, passenger numbers have more than doubled with an all-time high in August this year of 10,800, putting the carrier on the right trajectory to stem the erosion in operating revenues by end of the financial year.

Jambojet’s profits show that the low cost model works in Kenya and that travellers understand and have embraced it. Since inception in April last year, about 30% of the carrier's passengers are first time flyers. Jambojet now holds a 35% market share in the Kenyan domestic market.

Jambojet launches campaign targeting first time flyers

Campaign seeks to demystify flying and highlight benefits of low cost air travel

September 10th, 2015

Since the introduction of low cost flying in Kenya a one and a half year ago, air travel has become accessible to more Kenyans and is no longer considered a preserve of the rich. As such, more Kenyans are opting to fly rather than travel by road or rail especially over long distances.

Encouraged by this trend, Jambojet, the first low cost airline in Kenya, has launched a campaign targeting first time fliers. The main goal of the campaign dubbed ‘Invitation to Fly’ is to demystify flying while highlighting the benefits, especially of low cost air travel, over traditional means of transport such as road or rail.

The campaign which will include advertising will rely heavily on testimonials of first time flyers, encouraging them to share their personal experiences on how flying has changed their lives. Most first-time flyers are ordinary Kenyans including traders, tourists, students and government, civil society and private sector employees.

The airline will also use the campaign to create better understanding of how the low cost flying concept works so that first time and repeat customers are able to better plan their travel schedules.

Jambojet CEO Willem Hondius says that since the airline launched operations in April last year, the number of passengers has been gradually increasing. “We have seen strong uptake of low cost flying in Kenya. However, many Kenyans are yet to appreciate how the low cost flying concept works. With this campaign, we are aiming to not only demystify flying but also create better understanding of how lost cost flying works,” said Hondius.

Although flying is generally considered a faster and safer means of travel, it is however beyond the reach of the majority who would want to fly but cannot owing to high cost of tickets. Low cost airlines like Jambojet seek to address this need by eliminating the frills normally offered on flights such as food and drinks so as to keep the cost of air tickets low.

A bus ride between Nairobi and Mombasa normally takes eight hours and costs an average Ksh2500. A flight over the same distance takes one hour with Jambojet charging a minimum fare of Ksh3,450 per ticket one way depending on how early one books their flight.

“The value proposition of low cost flying is there for all to see. Flying cuts travel time especially when one plans their travel in advance which is what we are encouraging Kenyans to embrace so as to enjoy the thrill, affordability and convenience of flying,” Hondius explained.

Since it was launched last year, Jambojet now flies to seven destinations namely Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret, Malindi, Lamu and Ukunda. It has flown over 500,000 passengers during the first year of operation. With the newly launched campaign, this number is set to grow as more Kenyans appreciate the benefits of low cost flying.