Kenya’s Jambojet makes maiden flight to Uganda today

The Independent February 15, 2018 Business, NEWS 1 Comment

Kenya’s Jambojet makes maiden flight to Uganda today

Nairobi, Kenya | THE INDEPENDENT | Nairobi based budget airline Jambojet today expands its wings in East Africa with the launch of a double daily flight between Nairobi and Entebbe.

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.

“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’,” said Hondius, Jambojet.

The budget carrier, a subsidiary of Kenya Airways, will take off with an introductory one-way fare of $116 (Ksh 11,751\Ush 418,000 – incl. taxes)

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.

Awaiting our first ever passengers from Nairobi to Entebbe. #JambojetInUganda
— https://t.co/l2aLrKUfIy pic.twitter.com/MyeGin1k6G

— Jambojet.com (@FlyJambojet) February 15, 2018

Starting today, we’ll be flying to The Pearl of Africa twice daily. Make your bookings on https://t.co/l2aLrKUfIy today. #JambojetInUganda pic.twitter.com/3z5DdZa5Hi

— Jambojet.com (@FlyJambojet) February 15, 2018

The first Nairobi-Entebbe passengers on Jambojet. #JambojetInUganda
— https://t.co/l2aLrKUfIy pic.twitter.com/qwY36KwmG2

— Jambojet.com (@FlyJambojet) February 15, 2018

Zuru Kenya is also here to bid us farewell on our first trip to Uganda. #JambojetInUganda pic.twitter.com/LoyHe5funq

— Jambojet.com (@FlyJambojet) February 15, 2018

Capt. Shaffee piloted the first Jambojet craft to Uganda. #JambojetInUganda https://t.co/l2aLrKUfIy pic.twitter.com/gbcOaaFK8R

— Jambojet.com (@FlyJambojet) February 15, 2018

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The welcoming party in Entebbe. #JambojetInUganda
— https://t.co/l2aLrKUfIy pic.twitter.com/upPCsBq2zq

— Jambojet.com (@FlyJambojet) February 15, 2018

@FlyJambojet‘s maiden flight to #EntebbeInternationalAirport touched down this morning. Karibuni. pic.twitter.com/Ix8FzIOAIi

— Uganda CAA (@UgandaCAA) February 15, 2018

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.

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.

It is the first expansion outside Kenya for the airline. Jambojet was in 2016 granted regulatory approval to fly to 16 routes including Entebbe, Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro, Mwanza, Kigali, Juba, Bujumbura, Hargeisa, Mogadishu, Goma, Kisangani and Moroni.

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 per cent annually. The report noted African airports continue to record positive performance, welcoming an increase in international arrivals that currently stand at 14 per cent.

Uganda Airlines also coming

Uganda has no national airlines, meaning key routes like Nairobi to Entebbe are being sought by all major players in the industry. President Yoweri Museveni has in the past year promised to revive the defunct national carrier Uganda Airlines, with officials saying they could be back in the air this year.

Early last year, cabinet passed a resolution to revive the airline to boost the country’s air transport system and boost its trade and development prospects in the region.

“I am convinced that Uganda airline will succeed mainly because of six factors: Ugandans in the diaspora, the Indian community, businessmen, tourists, regional traffic and internal travel,” Museveni said at the meeting.

Museveni explained that the Ugandans in the diaspora especially in South Africa, Canada and United State of America, and United Kingdom based Indians who were expelled from Uganda by Idi Amin, are inconvenienced by airlines that must pass through other capitals, but once Uganda Airlines is revived, they will benefit from direct travel.

“Uganda has a captive travelling population. Many people want a flying schedule that suits them and yet most of the airlines look at nationalism and must first pass through their countries of origin,” he said

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