Jambojet, Kenya’s prominent low-cost carrier, has experienced substantial growth in the past decade, securing over 50% of the domestic market share. With its tenth anniversary approaching, the airline is gearing up to commemorate its milestone by setting ambitious targets.
According to simpleflying.com, Jambojet aims to surpass 1.5 million passengers by the end of 2024, marking a significant 25% increase from the previous year.
Over 20% annual growth
Jambojet is a low-cost airline based at Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO). It was founded in September 2013 and commenced operations on April 1, 2014. It operates as a subsidiary of the national carrier Kenya Airways, with a secondary base at Mombasa Moi International Airport (MBA). In an interview with Simple Flying, Jambojet CEO Karanja Ndegwa highlighted some of the airline’s growth plans over the coming months.
READ: Aviation: East African Carrier, Jambojet diversifies into cargo, eyes share of regional market
During its first full year of operations, Jambojet carried 372,000 passengers around Kenya. By the end of 2023, it had carried over 1.2 million passengers, signifying over 200% growth in its first ten years and 20% compared to 2022. This year, it is looking to grow by approximately 25% year-on-year, transporting 1.5 million people domestically and regionally. According to Ndegwa, the airline’s growth has been driven by its customer-centered approach.
In a survey conducted in September, the company found that approximately 44% of Kenyan travelers had taken their first-ever flight with Jambojet. As such, the low-cost carrier has managed to grow its domestic market share from 23% in the first year to 51.7% by the end of 2023. It is targeting a market share of at least 65% by 2026.
Jambojet’s plans to expand in East Africa
As the airline grows domestically, there are plans to increase its presence in the East African community. Jambojet recently announced the introduction of non-stop flights from Mombasa to Zanzibar (ZNZ), its second international destination. The service will commence on July 1, 2024, and will be operated four times a week.
Mombasa and Zanzibar are among the most popular tourist destinations in East Africa. Furthermore, Jambojet chose the Tanzanian archipelago as its next regional destination due to the strong cultural ties between Kenya and Tanzania. It also seeks to provide enhanced connectivity for tourists exploring both destinations. According to Ndegwa, this is part of the airline’s mission to provide services in underserved markets.
The airline will add several new destinations within East Africa over the next few years. Out of seven new routes on its radar, it hopes to finalize at least two by the end of the third quarter, which will be launched in 2025/2026. Given its current fleet of turboprops, Jambojet is only focused on expansion within East Africa for the next three years.
Short and long-term fleet goals
The Nairobi-based carrier currently has a fleet of eight DHC-8-Q400s with an average age of 5.4 years. Earlier this year, it was recognized by ch-aviation as having Africa’s second-youngest fleet after Uganda Airlines. Jambojet is looking to end the year with at least nine aircraft in its fleet.
The chief executive stated that it will bring in another Dash 8 for its Mombasa-Zanzibar service. It will also be used to add more frequencies on existing routes. While the airline will continue operations with a single-type fleet for the next couple of years, it will assess options for expansion into other markets. Karanja Ndegwa said,
Ndegwa told Simple Flying that any expansion into other African regions would come after acquiring larger aircraft. “At that moment, we may operate a mixed fleet,” he added. The airline has started working on its fleet expansion plan, but the final decision will be made in 2025/2026.
