Low-cost airline Jambojet has ventured into cargo operations with the Dash 8-400 passenger aircraft to its eight destinations within Kenya; Nairobi, Mombasa, Eldoret, Kisumu, Mombasa, Malindi, Ukunda, Lamu, and Goma in Eastern DRC.
A report by International Air Transport Association (IATA), the Air Cargo Market Analysis for December 2021, showed demand and growth in cargo capacity in Africa of up to 7.6 percent. Well above the long-term average growth trend of 4.7 percent.
"Jambojet has a fleet of six De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Q-400, and operates an average of 280 flights weekly across the network. Each flight has cargo hold capacity of 1.2tonne, most of which flies empty. With the introduction of cargo operations, we can seamlessly connect the Coastal destinations rich in fish and seafood to Nairobi,’’ said Karanja Ndegwa, Jambojet Managing Director and CEO
Jambojet started the Nairobi-Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in September 2021, becoming the first low-cost carrier to fly the route, and also the only direct flight between Nairobi and the Eastern DRC city. The airline started with two frequencies weekly, which have since grown to three.
This came after the signing of a four-part bilateral agreement between the Government of Kenya and that of the DRC covering investment, and policy development in several economic sectors including tourism, agriculture, education, energy, infrastructure development among others.
“What Jambojet has achieved with the commencement of these cargo operations to Goma in the DRC is such an astute example of a company sensing market dynamics, and adjusting strategy to adapt positively to new demands,” said Hon. Betty Maina, Cabinet Secretary for Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development in a statement.
Jambojet has also signed agreements with airlines such as Kenya Airways and Astral Aviation that allow for seamless connection of cargo from local destinations to international markets. The Jambojet Cargo product portfolio includes JM General Cargo, JM Express, JM Pharma, JM Live, JM Fresh, and JM Repatriation.
In a bid to diversify its product offering and complement its scheduled operations, Jambojet launched Charter services in October 2020 which allows one to charter a Jambojet aircraft to various destinations.
Since its inception in 2014, Jambojet, which is IOSA certified (IATA Operational Safety Audit registration), has achieved undeniable business growth with a fleet of six brand new De Havilland Dash 8-400 and flown over 4.7 million passengers across all its destinations.