A few months after clocking five years, Jambojet a regional low-cost carrier has made notable progress, in expanding its stronghold in the East African region. The airline has acquired a brand new De Havilland Dash 8 – Q400 aircraft, belonging to the former Bombardier model adding up the number of airplanes it operates to six.
Named Kongoti, Swahili name for Marabustock this new Dash 8 -Q400 aircraft is the first of four aircrafts that are expected this year to boost the airlines capacity as Jambojet looks to soar into more African destinations. It has a sitting capacity for 82 passengers, unlike the others with a sitting capacity of 78 passengers with a first of the ever premium economy class to suit the demands of their loyal customers, anchored on affordability.
“We are excited about our growth prospects in the region. We have an aggressive plan to fly to more African destinations and this is why we are expanding our fleet. The addition of this aircraft to our fleet brings the average age to 3.7 years, making us the airline with the youngest fleet in Africa and possibly across the world,” said Jambojet Chief Executive Officer, Allan Kilavuka.
Jambojet has also received approval from the Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority to start flights to Kigali which implies that the airline can begin operations to the destination as part of its regional expansion strategy.
“We are pleased to have received this approval. Kigali is one of the routes we have been pursuing in our expansion plan. Once we have everything in place, we will begin operations. The African aviation sector has an opportunity to grow. More players are coming on board but there is space for everyone and we will continue to take advantage of our low-cost model and safety standards,” said Vincent Rague, Chairman, Jambojet.
Currently, the airline flies to five local destinations namely Malindi, Ukunda, Mombasa, Kisumu, Eldoret and one regional destination -Entebbe, Uganda -from its hub in Nairobi. It also flies to Bujumbura, Burundi on behalf of the national carrier.