Companies

New budget carrier takes on Kenya Airways’ Jambojet

jambo

JamboJet operates flights between Mombasa, Eldoret, Nairobi and Mombasa. PHOTO | FILE

A new budget carrier, SouthEast Airlines, is set to take on Kenya Airways’ low-cost operator Jambojet on the Nairobi-Mombasa route.

SouthEast Airlines is set to launch its domestic flights Friday with a one-way ticket price to Mombasa priced at Sh4,950; which is Sh2,000 more than Jambojet but still cheaper than other commercial operators on the route.

SouthEast Airlines said on Thursday it will be flying a 50-passenger aircraft daily from Nairobi to Mombasa, with plans underway to hit the Kisumu, Eldoret and Malindi routes.

Jambojet currently flies to Kisumu, Eldoret and Mombasa from Nairobi.

It has plans to start flying to Bujumbura, Kigali, Juba, Goma, Mwanza, Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro and Addis Ababa.

“This is a low-cost airline targeting both business and leisure travellers. We are starting our operations with one aircraft   but based on demand we will bring more aircrafts on board,” said SouthEast Airlines general manager Laki Mtalaki in an interview.

He said the airline will be operating daily flights from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

“There is a huge demand for domestic market flights and this is one area we saw an opportunity to tap and invest in,” said Mtalaki.

He did not wish to disclose the shareholders of the company and the capital outlay for the venture.

The company says it has started operations with a workforce of 25.

Mr Mtalaki said SouthEast Airlines will be operated by African Express Airways, but said the new airline is not owned by the former.