Budget carrier, Jambojet, is set to expand its fleet with a new aircraft in November as it intensifies efforts to meet growing domestic demand for affordable air travel.
This would push its fleet to 10 as it eyes more flights on domestic routes, including Nairobi-Kisumu and Nairobi-Eldoret.
Jambojet, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kenya Airways, plans to increase daily flights on the Nairobi–Eldoret and Nairobi–Kisumu routes from five to six amid a sharp rise in demand.
“With the increasing domestic demand, we intend to increase our daily freight frequencies to and from Eldoret and Kisumu and offer affordable air travel, which will boost tourism growth and expand business opportunities,” said Jambojet Chief Executive Karanja Ndegwa at a stakeholders’ forum in Eldoret.
Travel market
Jambojet currently commands 53 percent of Kenya’s domestic air travel market and is on track to acquire its 10th aircraft in November.
The new aircraft will support both passenger and freight operations, allowing the airline to expand its service offering, including the introduction of dedicated cargo services.
The expansion is also part of Jambojet’s strategic plan to grow its regional footprint by targeting external markets such as Uganda and Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
“The rising demand for air travel on our Nairobi–Eldoret route has seen passenger numbers grow significantly. Between January and June, we served 104,000 passengers on this route alone, and we aim to reach 200,000 by year-end,” Mr Karanja noted.
Jambojet's plan for higher flight frequency on the Nairobi-Eldoret route comes as the government moves to upgrade Eldoret International Airport, extending the runway from 3.5 km to 4.1 km to handle more cargo planes.
The introduction of cargo services is expected to address a long-standing gap.
Currently, three airlines - Astral Aviation, Fly Emirates, and Ethiopian Airlines- utilise the airport for cargo imports, but often return empty due to a shortage of export goods.
Jambojet’s entry into this segment is seen as a timely intervention to stimulate export potential from the region.
However, Jambojet faces its share of operational challenges.
“High operational costs remain a major concern, with fuel alone accounting for 24 percent of our total expenses,” Mr Karanja explained.
