Jambojet, the low-cost brand of Kenya Airways, has set a regional record of handling one million customers in less than two years.
In a feat that indicates the increasing popularity of the concept of low-cost flying, the milestone has come barely two months to the company’s second year anniversary.
During the first year, the domestic market grew by 25% in passenger numbers. This year the Jambojet passenger numbers increased by 18% compared to last year. The demand on all routes has grown tremendously as reflected in the number of round trips this year which is at 3,312 flights up to date as opposed to 2,522 last year.
Commenting on the milestone, Jambojet CEO Willem Hondius attributed the immense growth to the low fares we offer, the excellent customer service and clear timings for the economy growth tickers in the various destinations.
“The number of destinations increased from four when we began in April 2014 to seven while our fleet also grew from two to four with the addition of two Bombadier Dash-8 Q400 to the already existing Boeing 737-300 during the mentioned period,” he added.
The bold move by Jambojet last year to tap into the coastal tourism circuit of Lamu, Malindi and Ukunda has contributed to the immense growth of passenger numbers in the coastal archipelago. During the past period, the total number of passengers travelling to these three destinations together went up by 71 percent compared to the previous year.
“While devolution may have played a key role in decentralising the operations of many organisations that were previously nested in the city - thus increasing executive travels across the country, we also give credit to many Kenyans who have discovered the convenience of flying affordably to their destinations, thirty per cent of them being first time flyers,” Hondius explained.
Jambojet's load factor - a key measure indicating how many seats were occupied increased by 10 percentage points to 77%.
“This is the first time ever that any regional operator in Kenya has carried over one million customers within two years of operation,” concluded Hondius.