KENYA: Jambojet To Start Lamu Flights

Jambojet is set to resume flights to Lamu next Friday following a decision by the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) to open the two-kilometre Manda Airstrip runway that has been under construction since 2011.

The low-cost carrier has also introduced “circular” flights between Lamu, Malindi and Nairobi, a departure from the current to-and-fro flights to the two coastal towns from JKIA.

The low-cost carrier announced that it will indefinitely suspend all flights to Lamu beginning Tuesday citing the delay in completion of expansion works at the airstrip.

The Kenya Airways-owned airline was only allowed to use 850 metres of the runway, forcing it to fly at below half capacity and reduce the frequency of its flights to the popular coastal destination.

KAA on Friday announced that the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) had lifted a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) that was preventing airlines from using the entire airstrip despite construction work having been completed, albeit behind schedule.

“We are glad that the Ministry of Transport in conjunction with the regulator have made it possible for us to fly back to the heritage-rich island starting January 15,” Jambojet’s chief executive Willem Hondius said in a statement.

Jambojet flies the Bombardier Dash-8 Q400 aircraft which carries 78 passengers on the Lamu route.

The budget airline has said it will introduce connected flights between Lamu and Malindi, a departure from the current scenario where it operates direct trips from JKIA to each town and back.

“Furthermore, we are making changes to our schedules to introduce circular flights that will ensure non-stop flights for passengers between Nairobi and Lamu,” said Mr Hondius.

“This enables passengers for both Lamu and Malindi to fly non-stop on the routes.”

The suspension of flights announcement by Jambojet and the opening of the entire airstrip coincides with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s ongoing visit to Lamu County.

Rehabilitation work on the runway was completed recently - way behind an April 2015 target - but aircraft are still not allowed to make use of it, limiting their operations.

Mr Hondius however said that Jambojet, and other carrier, were still not allowed to use the full runway until all technicalities are fulfilled by the authorities.

The low-cost carrier has also introduced “circular” flights between Lamu, Malindi and Nairobi, a departure from the current to-and-fro flights to the two coastal towns from JKIA.

Two days ago, the low-cost carrier announced that it will indefinitely suspend all flights to Lamu beginning Tuesday citing the delay in completion of expansion works at the airstrip.

READ: Jambojet to halt Lamu flights from next Tuesday

The Kenya Airways-owned airline was only allowed to use 850 metres of the runway, forcing it to fly at below half capacity and reduce the frequency of its flights to the popular coastal destination.

KAA on Friday announced that the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) had lifted a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) that was preventing airlines from using the entire airstrip despite construction work having been completed, albeit behind schedule.

“We are glad that the Ministry of Transport in conjunction with the regulator have made it possible for us to fly back to the heritage-rich island starting January 15,” Jambojet’s chief executive Willem Hondius told the Business Daily said in a statement.

Jambojet flies the Bombardier Dash-8 Q400 aircraft which carries 78 passengers on the Lamu route.

The budget airline has said it will introduce connected flights between Lamu and Malindi, a departure from the current scenario where it operates direct trips from JKIA to each town and back.

“Furthermore, we are making changes to our schedules to introduce circular flights that will ensure non-stop flights for passengers between Nairobi and Lamu,” said Mr Hondius.

“This enables passengers for both Lamu and Malindi to fly non-stop on the routes.”

The suspension of flights announcement by Jambojet and the opening of the entire airstrip coincides with President Uhuru Kenyatta’s ongoing visit to Lamu County.

Rehabilitation work on the runway was completed recently - way behind an April 2015 target - but aircraft are still not allowed to make use of it, limiting their operations.

Mr Hondius however said that Jambojet, and other carrier, were still not allowed to use the full runway until all technicalities are fulfilled by the authorities.

The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) began undertaking extension works at the Lamu Airstrip four years ago. The expansion was to enable the facility to handle larger aircraft such as the Embraer and the Boeing 737.

This is part of a Sh1 billion upgrade that also involved building a new terminal to handle 200 passengers, a fire station and water supply.

Work on the airstrip, which in 2014 handled 3,497 flights and 36,474 passengers, is yet to be fully completed despite several assurances by the authority.

“Airlines arriving and departing from Manda Airport in Lamu will now be able to use the new two kilometer-long runway,” KAA said on their official Twitter handle on Friday morning.

“The new runway allows larger aircrafts such as the Embraer 190 to operate.”

Jambojet launched new routes from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to Lamu, Malindi and Ukunda in March 2015, in a move that was expected to breathe new life into the hard-hit tourism sector at the Coast. This expansion was, however, hampered by civil works at some of the airstrips.

Besides the Lamu works, KAA was also upgrading the turning point at the Ukunda Airport as it finalised plans to extend the runway from 1.1km to 1.6km.

These disruptions forced Jambojet to reduce its flights to Lamu from daily to three times a week — Monday, Friday and Sunday — in June last year while it started flying eight times a week to Ukunda, down from twice a day.

These disruptions forced Jambojet to reduce its flights to Lamu from daily to three times a week — Monday, Friday and Sunday — in June last year while it started flying eight times a week to Ukunda, down from twice a day.