Jambojet trains eyes on East African expansion with second Dash 8 Q400 aircraft
Kenya’s low cost airline Jambojet has acquired a new Dash 8 Q400 jet to further expand its operations into the East African region.
The new aircraft, that seats 78 passengers, which will come into operation in the next few weeks, was unveiled at a ceremony at the Kenya Airways Hangar. The delivery of the new aircraft comes barely three months after the no-frills airline leased another Dash 8 from Abu Dhabi Aviation to cater to the growing demand as well as stabilize its flight schedules within the country. Currently, the airline operates two Q400s and two Boeing 737s.
The aircraft, a next-generation turboprop, is renowned for steep approaches and short take-offs. These features make it suitable for use in domestic airports such as Diani, Malindi and Manda, as well as other airports in the East African region with relatively short runways.
Mr. Willem Hondius, the Jambojet CEO and Managing Director, said that the NextGen Q400 has proven to be an exceptional addition to the carrier’s fleet because of its best-in-class passenger experience, providing an exceptionally bright, comfortable cabin. This all adds up to a comfortable and enjoyable flying experience that passengers appreciate.
"The arrival of this new aircraft is a huge milestone for Jambojet. It demonstrates how committed we are to investing in growing our business and providing more choice, comfort and quality to our passengers. We are definitely angling ourselves to fly our customers to more destinations and thus the new aircraft will help us increase capacity and fulfill our growth ambitions,’’ explained Mr. Hondius.
Jambojet continues to put in place several measures which have seen a marked improvement in on-time-performance. After a dip in December, due to technical challenges, punctuality reached 80 % in April this year; 87% in Mombasa, 84% in Kisumu and 78% in Ukunda.
Over the next quarter, new initiatives will be introduced to continuously improve the quality of service offering as well as eliminate unwarranted waiting times for passengers.
Other improvements included a refreshed online booking portal that allows consumers to block fares for up to 24 hours, as well as access to a discounted bundle of travel extras, which includes 10kg cabin luggage, 15kg checked luggage, complimentary seat selection and change fee waiver for a free date change.
