Travellers board Jambojet airline. FILE PHOTO | NMG
Jambojet has entered into a leasing
agreement with a Moscow-based company for two aircraft as the low-cost
expands its fleet to pace with rising demand.
, will lease a pair of Bombardier Q400s from Ilyushin Finance Co.
(IFC), with the first plane scheduled for delivery in May and another by
the end of the year.
Jambojet, which launched in 2014,
has been in the market for new aircraft to serve the busy Coastal
routes which were in December hit by massive flight delays and
cancellations.
Delivery of the two new planes will see the budget carrier’s fleet grow to six – four Q400s and two Boeing 737s.
“The
Q400 aircraft’s performance has exceeded our expectations on all
fronts,” Jambojet chief executive, Willem Hondius, said in a statement
announcing the lease deal.
“With its low operating
costs and best-in-class passenger experience, the Q400 has helped us
optimize and expand our operations and is undeniably the backbone of
Jambojet’s growth strategy.”
The low-cost in January
leased a Q400 from Abu Dhabi Aviation to replace one of the older
versions of the aircraft in its fleet and stabilise operations since one
other plane was out on maintenance.
Jambojet flies to six routes in Kenya – from Nairobi to Mombasa, Eldoret, Kisumu, Lamu, Malindi and Ukunda.
It
however plans to launch regional flights to Entebbe, Mogadishu, Juba
and Dar es Salaam but it is yet to receive regulatory approval.
“This
agreement for these next generation turboprops signifies a key
development in IFC’s international leasing business,” Alexander Rubtsov,
IFC’s director-general, said in a statement.
“The
demand for high-performance turboprops, such as the Q400, continues to
expand and we are pleased to enter into this new lease with Jambojet.”
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