Jambojet, regional carrier in Kenya and a subsidiary of Kenya Airways is set to receive two used regional aircraft to enhance its capacity while cutting down on expenses. The budget carrier will lease two de Havilland Canada DHC 8-400s. The first is expected to arrive this month, followed by the possible delivery of the second in the first quarter of 2024. Jambojet used to acquire new aircraft, but the carrier has turned to used jets due to the depreciating operating environment.
While speaking to Reuters, Karanja Ndegwa, chief executive, Jambojet said: “We used to get the new ones just also as we build our maintenance capabilities, but over time, the ones that we are getting now, they are not new. The leased planes have been in service for at least two years and will come with shorter lease terms than the new ones.”
Jambojet currently has a fleet of seven Dash 8-400s leased from Falko, Montrose Global, and Nordic Aviation Capital. The fleet has an average age of five years, with all aircraft delivered less than a year after leaving the factory. Its seventh Dash 8-400 was delivered in November 2022, and it serves various domestic destinations from Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta (NBO), including Malindi (MYD), Mombasa (MBA), and Ukunda (UKA).
The rise in jet fuel process and evaluation of the shilling currency, the airline operating costs have swelled with rising passenger demand. “About 90% of our sales are in shillings, yet 78% of our payments are in dollars,” Ndegwa added.
In June 2023, the carrier operated 1,523 flights, offering 117,318 seats, a 22% increase compared to the same period last year. Jambojet expects to transport about 1.2 million passengers by the end of the year. The airline has projected the growth of passenger numbers by at least 20% due to the demand on local routes by business travellers.