Jambojet on Thursday made its maiden flight to Entebbe, Uganda marking expansion of the airline’s wings in East Africa. Jambojet would be making a double daily flight between Nairobi and Entebbe.
This makes the Nairobi-based budget airline the first regional low cost airline with an introductory fare of Ksh 11,330 (incl. taxes) one-way. Customers can purchase tickets from the airline’s robust online book portal – Jambojet.com, sales office, call centers or at their preferred travel agent.
Jambojet will operate double daily flights with departures from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) at 09.10hrs and 17.30 hrs. The flight will depart Entebbe International Airport for Nairobi at 11.00 hrs and 19.20 hrs daily.
Among the passengers on the inaugural flight that took off shortly before 10am on Thursday, is Jambojet’s chief executive Willem Hondius, who last month said he is optimistic that the regional flight will spur the airline’s growth as well as foster regional integration at a national level.
Hondius said: “We are delighted to launch direct service to Entebbe, a much-anticipated addition to our network where we will offer frequent and new flyers even more affordable fares. This new route will connect businesses in Kenya and Uganda while also appealing to leisure travelers, offering them the opportunity to experience the ‘Pearl of Africa’.
Hondius further noted that the airline has seen an upward trend on its domestic traffic; “We are optimistic that the regional flight will spur the airline’s growth as well as foster regional integration at a national level.”
The airline currently operates a relatively young fleet of four Dash 8 Q400 aircraft. The route will be served with the recently acquired 78 seater; turboprop Bombardier Next Gen Q400 as it plans to venture into other regional destinations.
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The barely four-year-old airline which currently operates to Eldoret, Kisumu, Malindi, Mombasa, Nairobi and Ukunda has achieved undeniable business growth; increased numbers of routes from four to six, increased frequency of flights due to fleet expansion and flown over two million passengers.
A report by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in 2017 revealed that African airlines’ traffic was expected to grow by up to 9.9% annually. The report noted African airports continue to record positive performance, welcoming an increase in international arrivals that currently stand at 14 per cent.
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