KENYA: Fly540 Tyre Gets Stuck In Pothole, Pilot Aborts Take off

A Fly540 pilot was forced to abort take-off after realising one of the plane’s tyre was stuck in a pothole on the runway at the Manda Airport in Lamu County, southeastern Kenya.

The 36 scared passengers aboard the Nairobi-bound plane disembarked during the Sunday 12.30pm incident. No one was hurt.

Engineers and other airport staff were called and had to dig the plane’s left tyre out of the pothole using shovels and hoes.

The plane was about to take-off but it was difficult. The pilot had to stop abruptly especially after realising that one of the plane’s tyres was stuck in a huge pothole on the runway.

Engineers and airport staff had to be called and assisted in pushing the plane out and parked it at a safer location on the runway from where it was finally able to take-off safely.

All was fine as the plane taxied on the runway ready for take-off.

Trouble came just seconds as the plane started to lift its wings in readiness to fly. We saw the tyre on the left side stuck inside a huge hole on the runway.

We thank God that the pilot acted swiftly and switched off the engine of the plane. It was a scary moment said an eye witness.

A Fly540 official who spoke to journalists at the Manda Airport said checks were made later to ensure the plane was in good condition after the incident.

The plane was to take-off at exactly 12.30pm but the issue caused a delay. It took off at 12.54pm after checks were made to ensure the incident hadn’t created any other issue that could interfere with the flight.

Following the Sunday incident, travelling agencies, tourist stakeholders and passengers have called on the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) to urgently intervene and reconstruct the Manda Airport runway.

The airport was put on the spotlight in 2017, when Kenya Airways' low-cost airline Jambojet suspended flights citing dilapidated conditions.

At the time, Jambojet said the apron, taxiway and runway were in bad shape, making it difficult for aircrafts to land or take-off.

Aviation stakeholders said the poor state of the airport puts lives at risk.

We’ve raised the issue concerning the poor state of our airport, particularly the runway but our calls over the years to have it reconstructed have not been successful.

As we speak, the airport runway is covered in massive potholes which continue to pose a danger to navigation. Should we wait until a fatal accident occurs?

Mr Ibrahim Abdalla, a tour guide, called for expansion of the airport saying visits to Lamu have increased.

The high tourist season has already begun and the Manda Airport seems to be overwhelmed with the increased number of carriers plying the region. It’s better they reconstruct and expand the airport and also introduce 24-hour operations. Lamu is growing, said Mr Abdalla.

Tourism Observer

KENYA: Jambojet Gets 2018 Bombardier Reliability Award

Mr Allan Kilavuka(middle), CEO, Jambojet and Maureen Okomo, Chief Engineer, Jambojet receive the Bombardier 2018 Airline Reliability Award from Todd Young, Vice President and General Manager, Head of the Q Series Aircraft Program, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft.
Jambojet, has been awarded the 2018 Bombardier Reliability Award for outstanding performance.

Jambojet was the only African airline among the thirteen airlines from around the world that were recognised. The award recognizes operators of Bombardier Q Series turboprops who achieve the highest rates of dispatch reliability.

Jambojet Chief Executive officer Mr Allan Kilavuka said the award is an endorsement and acknowledgement of Jambojet’s performance in its operations and aircraft maintenance procedures.

This has been a big year for Jambojet with major milestones in the five years since our establishment. The Bombardier Award further attests to our commitment to deliver on our core values on safety and reliability as the region’s affordable airline, he said.

The Bombardier Reliability Award rewards airlines based on their dispatch reliability. This is the percentage of flights that depart within a specified time of the scheduled departure time.

Airlines global standard uses a 15-minute margin between actual and scheduled departure time for a flight to be considered as having departed on time.

Jambojet’s On-time performance (OTP) currently stands at 81%, one of the highest in Kenya.

We are delighted to congratulate this year’s award recipients for their outstanding performance, said Todd Young, Vice President and General Manager, Head of the Q Series Aircraft Program, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft.

We are proud of the strong collaboration between Bombardier, our operators and suppliers and the success it delivers in providing efficient, reliable air service to communities worldwide.

Low-cost carriers have entered the African market in recent in recent years to ensure travellers don’t have to rob banks in order to afford flights.

Travelling by Air is the best and safest mode of transport today. However, despite its perks and comforts Air travel does not come cheap, it is one of the most expensive mode of travelling.

Low-cost carriers have entered the market in recent in recent years to ensure travellers don’t have to rob banks in order to fly, offering affordable flights without compromising on quality.

Below are some of Africa’s leading low-cost airline which offers absolute comfort.

Fastjet Airlines is a British/South African-based holding company for a group of low cost carriers that operate in Africa.

The carrier entered the African space in 2012 and since then they have flown over 2,250,000 passengers to some of southern Africa’s most incredible countries from as little as US$20 one way.

Fastjet offer the lowest possible fares through an ingenious budget model where passengers who make advance booking pay less.

Passengers who want additional services such as food, baggage and seat choices pay extra making it cheaper for to fly for those seeking minimal additions.

Flyjet airlines currently flies to; Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe

It was named Africa’s leading low-cost airline during the World Travel Awards, 2017.

Five Forty Aviation Ltd, trading as Fly540, is a low-cost airline based in Nairobi, Kenya.

The carrier commenced operations in 2006 and offers flights for as low as $50 one way.

Fly540 is East Africa’s premier low cost airline offering scheduled flights all year round to destinations within Kenya, South Sudan and Zanzibar.

Kulula Airlines often referred to as Kulula.com is one of South Africa’s leading low cost airlines based on Johannesburg.

"Kulula" means easy in isZulu and isiXhosa, which explains the airline's approach to booking and flying

It was founded in 2001 and has a fleet of about ten aircrafts.

It is a wholly owned low-cost subsidiary of British Airways Franchisee Comair and was the first privately owned low cost airline in South Africa

Precision Air Services Plc is a Tanzanian airline based at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam, with a minihub at Mwanza Airport.

It was established in 1993 and started as a private charter air Transport Company operating a five-seater piper Aztec aircraft.

Its initial line of business mainly entailed providing connections to tourists visiting the rich natural attractions of Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, in northern Tanzania, the Zanzibar Island in the Indian Ocean and other parts of the country from Arusha town as its base.

In 2003 Kenya Airways acquired a minority 49% shareholding leaving majority 51% shares in the control of one local Tanzanian businessman.

Since then, Precision Air has literally turned its image into a professionally run modern regional airline.

It currently flies to parts of Tanzania, Zanzibar, Nairobi and Entebbe with its modern fleet consisting of, Five 70 seater ATR 72-500, Three 48 seater ATR 42-500 and 1 48 seater ATR 42-600.

Mango Airlines SOC Ltd, trading as Mango, is a state-owned South African low-cost airline based at OR Tambo International Airport near Johannesburg and a subsidiary of South African Airways.

Mango first launched end October 2006 with its first flight taking to the skies on 15 November 2006.

It is considered South Africa's most innovative airline and flies between South Africa’s major airports.

Mango also operates twice-weekly flights between Johannesburg and Zanzibar.

According to the airline it is the only airline globally to accept store charge cards in lieu of booking payment and the only African airline to offer on-board Wi-Fi.


Tourism Observer

KENYA: Jambojet Fails To Land At Kisumu International Airport Due To Bad Weather, Returns To Nairobi

A Jambojet flight from Nairobi to Kisumu failed to land in the Lakeside City on Tuesday evening due to what has been termed as bad weather.

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The flight JM8656 was expected to land at the Kisumu International Airport (KIA) at 6.10 pm on Tuesday but the plan did not materialise after several attempts.

The bad weather may have been caused by evening rainfall witnessed in several areas of Kisumu on Tuesday evening.

In a statement published by Jambojet on its official social media pages, the plane returned to Nairobi and landed safely at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

Arrangements have been made for all passengers who were on-board to fly to Kisumu tomorrow (Wednesday) morning. We recognize the discomfort and the inconvenience caused as a result of this incident and sincerely apologise, stated the airline.

We reaffirm our commitment to continue maintaining the highest safety standards in all our operations and give the best possible experience on our flights, added the statement.

This comes in the wake of ongoing runway repairs at the Kisumu International Airport.

The over a week maintenance exercise comes to an end on March 28, 2019.

The exercise has led to rescheduling and cancellation of some flights.

Tourism Observer

KENYA: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) Favourite Transiting Hub

Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) registered a growth of transit passengers last year, highlighting it as a favourite transiting hub for international travellers.

Data by Kenya National Bureau of Statistics indicate that the number of international passengers in transit increased by 2.7 per cent from 1.2 million in 2016 to 1.25 million last year.

JKIA is a major hub for passengers connecting to Europe, US or even the Middle East.

Overall, Kenya’s major airports recorded an increase on the number of passengers who used different ports in the period under review.

The total number of passengers increased by 3.5 per cent from 9.8 million in 2016 to 10.1 million last year, says the KNBS in a new released Economic Survey.

The number of passengers handled at the JKIA increased by 2.2 per cent to 7.3 million while those handled at the Moi International Airport (MIA) remained at 1.2 million during the review period.

The Moi International Airport handles aircraft coming from outside the country because of its tourism status, unlike some airports that only handle domestic airlines.

Commercial cargo handled at the JKIA increased by 18 per cent to 273,000 tonnes with MIA recording an increase of 20 per cent to 3,500 tonnes.

According to the KNBS, domestic landings and takeoffs increased by 1.5 per cent to 207,831 in 2017, as more airlines moved in to tap the high demand for flying.

Local airlines have been expanding to new routes as demand for air travel in parts of the country that do not have a developed air transport takes root.

This is a boost to Kenyans who are now enjoying low fares due to increased competition.

In the last couple of months, airlines have launched new routes that include the far flung Wajir region that have been lagging behind in air transport.

Jambojet is currently flying to Wajir and it charges Sh4,200 for one way ticket.

This is the latest local route that they have introduced in their schedule.

Local airline Silverstone Air Services introduced Kisumu and Mombasa routes last year, targeting tourists on the Western and Coastal circuit.

The airline launched commercial flights from Nairobi to Kisumu and Ukunda, having previously operated as a charter-only carrier.

Silverstone is currently operating five planes on its local routes, consisting of two Dash-8 planes and three Fokker 50 aircraft.

The airline launched daily flights to Lodwar in January, increasing the competition for customers on the route that is also served by Fly540, Safarilink and several other carriers.

Silverstone is charging Sh8,500 for one way ticket to Lodwar, the same amount that Skyward Express ticket costs on the same route.

The plans to put up a second runway at JKIA are underway after the country secured funding from African Development Bank (AFDB).

This marks a major starting point for the expansion of the airport that has for a long time been operating with a single runway.

The single runway has been blamed for delays in takeoffs and landing of the aircrafts at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

The project is expected to commence in the second half of 2018 and is expected to ease delays at once it is commissioned.


Tourism Observer

KENYA: Jambojet Commences Uganda Flights Feb 2018

Jambojet will on February 15 start operating two daily flights between Entebbe (Uganda) and Nairobi, in what will mark the low cost carrier’s expansion outside Kenya.

The budget carrier, a subsidiary of Kenya Airways says a one-way ticket will cost customers an introductory price of Sh11,330, inclusive of taxes.

Flights will depart the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) at 09:10am and 5:30pm every day while those flying out of Entebbe International Airport will leave at 11:00am and 19:20pm daily.

The flight time is 80 minutes.

This new route will connect businesses in Kenya and Uganda while also appealing to leisure travellers, offering them the opportunity to experience the Pearl of Africa.

Jambojet was in May 2016 granted regulatory approval to fly to 16 routes including Entebbe, Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro, Mwanza, Kigali, Juba, Bujumbura, Hargeisa, Mogadishu, Goma, Kisangani and Moroni.

Kenya late last year wrote to the governments of Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia and Democratic Republic of Congo to allow Jambojet fly to these routes.

Jambojet, which launched locally in April 2014, had earmarked Tanzania and Uganda as its first destinations when approval are granted.

The low cost carrier, which flies between 45,000 and 50,000 passengers per month in Kenya, reported a pre-tax loss of Sh25 million for the year to March, reversing a pre-tax profit of Sh126 million recorded the previous year.

We are optimistic that the regional flight will spur the airline’s growth as well as foster regional integration at a national level, said Mr Hondius.

Jambojet has increased frequencies on most of its routes following what the budget carrier says is increased demand and flexibility offered by its newly acquired aircraft.

The low cost carrier, a subsidiary of Kenya Airways, will now fly 39 times a week to Mombasa up from 22 while passengers travelling to Kisumu from Nairobi will now be served by 20 weekly flights, an increase of six.

Jambojet has also added four frequencies to its Ukunda route, increasing them to 14 a week while its Eldoret flights are up two per week to hit 20. The Malindi route has however seen its weekly flights cut from 13 to nine.

In addition to increased demand, the no frills carrier says the frequencies adjustment is a response to their recent acquisition of two Bombardier Q400 aircraft that can do more trips cycles.

We are pleased that more passengers are choosing to fly over other means of transport, Willem Hondius, Jambojet’s chief executive officer, said in a statement.

The demand has been growing especially on the coastal routes, a clear indicator that Jambojet is contributing immensely to the growth of domestic tourism and the economy at large.

Jambojet, which has been operational since April 2014, has for a long time operated four aircraft — two Q400 planes and two Boeing 737s, the latter leased from its parent firm.

It flies between 45,000 and 50,000 passengers per month.

The low cost carrier returned one of the leased Q400 aircraft last year, acquired two in December 2017 with one more expected later this month.

On Sunday, it returned the last of two Boeings to Kenya Airways, leaving it with a fleet of three Q400 planes.

This young fleet compliment, Mr Hondius says, will allow the airline offer flexibility and flight variety to customers.”

Jambojet is set to commence flights to Tanzania and Uganda by next month, kicking off its regional expansion plan. It also plans to commence flights to Wajir in February.

The budget carrier in May 2017 granted regulatory approval to fly to 16 routes including Entebbe, Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro, Mwanza, Kigali, Juba, Bujumbura, Hargeisa, Mogadishu, Goma, Kisangani and Moroni.

A lot has happened within the first few weeks of 2018 as far as air travel is concerned and it all points to good tidings for the industry in Kenya.

The recent launch of direct flights between Nairobi and New York by Kenya Airways added to a series of newly unveiled routes, both domestic and international, by various airlines.

Buoyed by increased business during the festive season, several airlines have this month announced increased flights on their current routes as well as completely new routes.

Jambojet set the ball rolling by announcing that it was increasing its flights to Mombasa, Kisumu, Ukunda and Eldoret. Jambojet cites increased demand and its acquisition of new aircrafts as the reason behind its expansion.

In the same week Jambojet announced additional flights while another local low-cost carrier Fly-Sax said it was increasing its frequency on the Mombasa route to twice daily to meet demand from traders and tourists.

That wasn’t all. Another carrier, Freedom Airline launched a commercial flight on the Nairobi-Garissa route targeting air travellers especially business owners and state officials.

A new entrant, Silverstone Air, is set to commence direct flights from Wilson Airport to Lodwar in mid-January barely six months after they entered the Kenyan market with daily flights to Kisumu and Ukunda.

The airline has announced plans to introduce direct flights between Kisumu and Mombasa and also launch flights to Migori and Lamu.

The flurry of activities in the sky is not only limited to the domestic market. Italian carrier Alitalia is set to return to JKIA with four scheduled flights a week starting from 28 March 2018.

A day later, the inaugural Air France flight from Charles De Gaulle in Paris will make its maiden flight into Nairobi after an 18-year hiatus.

It should be noted that last year, the Middle East carrier, Qatar Airways announced that Mombasa was one of the new 12 routes they were launching in 2018.

Qatar will be joining other international carriers that fly directly into and out of Mombasa hoping to tap into growing demand on that route.

Similarly, Air India is expected to return to the Kenyan airspace this year with daily flights between New Delhi and Nairobi.

There is no doubt that the Kenya airspace is once again becoming more attractive to both local and international carriers seeking to grow their pie in a shrinking global market characterised by cut throat competition.

This can be attributed to a number of factors that have placed Kenya in a pole position as an emerging potential market for air travel.

Over the years, the government has invested heavily in expanding and improving the aviation infrastructure across the country.

JKIA is obviously reaping the benefits of the recent expansion programme that has increased its annual capacity to 7.5 million passengers. Focus now needs to shift to improving other facilities across the country that are in dire need of expansion.

Another factor that has significantly contributed to the uptake of air travel in the country is the emergence of low cost carriers such as Jambojet, Fly540, Silverstone Air, Fly-Sax, Safarilink among others that continue to haul first time travellers into the sky.

Jambojet alone flies between 45,000 and 50,000 passengers a month!



Tourism Observer

KENYA: Upcountry Flights Fully Booked In Anticipation Of The Festive Holidays

Domestic airlines to Western Kenya are fully booked between Thursday and Sunday, signalling increased air travel ahead of Monday’s Christmas holiday.

On Wednesday, Jambojet, Skyward Express and Fly540 said they had sold out all seats on flights to Kisumu and Eldoret between December 21 and 24.

This year’s bookings represent a more than 20 per cent growth, highlighting increased demand for air travel with the introduction of budget carriers.

Jambojet said it still had space on three Saturday flights to Eldoret (6am, 1pm and 6pm) with the few seats left going for Sh10,200 from Sh4,200 for passengers, who booked at the beginning of the year.

The Kisumu route was fully booked to Saturday and last evening’s flight had only one seat remaining.

The Nairobi-Kisumu route is charging Sh14,200, up from less than the usual Sh10,000.

Skyward Express, which flies to Lodwar via Eldoret, is fully booked between Thursday and Sunday.

Sorry‚ we cannot find any seats available on the date you have requested. Please try another date combination or contact us for further information, reads a statement from the company’s website.

Fly540 flight to Homa Bay from Nairobi is fully booked to Sunday. The situation is somewhat different on the Nairobi-Mombasa route where there is a 50 per cent chance for travellers to get seats.

One-way bookings for Fly 540 (9 am and 7 pm) from Nairobi to Mombasa are available at Sh11,270. Flights to Lamu on the same airline on the same day are sold out.

Skyward Express, which started flying the Lamu route from March this year, has all seats for December 21 and 22 sold out.

Increased demand has seen Jambojet introduce additional flights to Coastal cities as it seeks to cash on high number of passengers visiting the region for holidays.

Airline chief executive officer Willem Hondius said on Tuesday there has been increased demand for air travel between Nairobi and the Coast, forcing the company to raise frequency starting Wednesday.

Jambojet has increased the number of flights to Malindi, Mombasa and Ukunda to 3, 4 and 3 flights per week respectfully.

Prices of booking air tickets have significantly gone up in the last one month as more passengers seek to travel by plane.

Those who have been booking from last week are paying almost double the price compared with travellers who booked in November.

To enjoy a low price on budget airline, passengers are supposed to book way in advance before their travel date.



Tourism Observer

KENYA: X mass Holidays Attract More Travellers For Jambojet

Budget airline Jambojet has introduced additional flights to the coastal cities as it seeks to cash in on the high demand from holidaymakers.

The airline’s CEO Willem Hondius said there has been increased demand for air travel between Nairobi and the Coast forcing the company to increase frequency starting Tuesday (Dec 19).

Jambojet is now operating three flights to Malindi and Ukunda and four to Mombasa per week.

Yes we have added flights to Malindi (3 per week), Mombasa (4 per week), Ukunda (3 per week plus a third frequency per day between December 19 and 31),said Mr Hondius.

Mr Hondius said all routes that the airline plies have registered high demand. During the festive season we see demand going up sharply and there is always need to add flights,he said.

Last week the airline received one of two planes it purchased last month at Sh6.6 billion to cater for increased demand this Christmas season.

The addition brings Jambojet’s fleet to six – two Q400 planes that it acquired earlier in the year and two Boeing 737s leased from Kenya Airways KQ its parent company.

The airline said the remaining plane will arrive later this month. The two planes have been acquired from Danish firm Nordic Aviation Capital.

The cost of booking air tickets has significantly gone up as more passengers seek to travel by air. Those who have been booking from last week are paying almost double the price compared with travellers who booked in November.

It’s still quite last minute unfortunately. However for the festive season people tend to book a bit earlier, said the CEO.

The airline in May got regulatory approval to fly to 16 regional routes, including Entebbe, Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro, Mwanza, Kigali, Juba, Bujumbura, Hargeisa, Mogadishu, Goma, Kisangani and Moroni.

Meanwhile, Jambojet is set to start flights to Tanzania and Uganda by February next year, kicking off its regional expansion plan designed to see the low-cost carrier fly to 16 new routes.

The Transport ministry said it had applied for permission for the budget airline, a subsidiary of Kenya Airways is to fly to the countries.

Jambojet was in May granted regulatory approval to fly to 16 routes including Entebbe, Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro, Mwanza, Kigali, Juba, Bujumbura, Hargeisa, Mogadishu, Goma, Kisangani and Moroni.

The government has applied for designations on our behalf to allow us operate on six regional routes, Willem Hondius, Jambojet’s chief executive said.

For now, the application covers Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia and Democratic Republic of Congo. However, we intend to begin by flying to Tanzania and Uganda.

Jambojet also plans to start flying to Wajir by next February, adding to its existing flights between Nairobi and Mombasa, Eldoret, Kisumu, Lamu, Malindi and Ukunda (Diani).

The airline had earlier said it would make its international debut by the end of this year, but delays in receiving two Bombardier Q400 aircraft has seen them push their launch date forward.

These two planes are now expected before Christmas.

The extended electioneering period took a toll on the business, with total bookings for the four months to October dipping by around 16 per cent, Mr Hondius revealed.

The airline flies between 45,000 and 50,000 passengers per month.

In the weeks around the two general elections, he added, passenger numbers dropped by a quarter, highlighting the huge toll that the process had on Kenya’s aviation sector.

Kenya Airways’ latest annual report indicates that Jambojet reported a pre-tax loss of Sh25 million for the year to March, reversing a pre-tax profit of Sh126 million recorded the previous year.

The loss was attributable to last year’s peak season when insufficient aircraft messed us up. The elections affected us negatively this year. While business has rebounded, we shall assess the full impact with time, said Mr Hondius.

Jambojet is set to receive two new aircraft worth Sh6.6 billion before Christmas in anticipation of the high-season passenger demand and as the low-cost carrier prepares to start international flights.

The airline, a subsidiary of national carrier Kenya Airways is set to receive the first of two Bombardier Q400 on December 11. The second one is expected to touch down in Nairobi six days later.

Jambojet was in May granted regulatory approval to fly to 16 routes including Entebbe, Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro, Mwanza, Kigali, Juba, Bujumbura, Hargeisa, Mogadishu, Goma, Kisangani and Moroni.

We are confident that the Q400 aircraft will allow us to implement our growth strategy as we strive to launch new routes and to respond to the anticipated increase in demand, Willem Hondius, Jambojet’s chief executive, said in a statement.

The budget carrier will lease the aircraft from Danish firm Nordic Aviation Capital which in turn signed a purchase order for the planes with Montreal-based Bombardier on Wednesday.

Jambojet, which has been operational since April 2014, currently operates four aircraft — two Q400 planes which were also acquired this year and two Boeing 737s leased from its parent firm.

The airline plies six routes in Kenya; between Nairobi and Mombasa, Eldoret, Kisumu, Malindi and Ukunda (Diani). We are looking at retiring our narrow body fleet (Boeing 737s) and transitioning to an all-Q400 fleet by end of this year, said Mr Hondius.

The carrier has already returned one of the Boeings to KQ with the national carrier now expected to put it up for sale.

Thousands of Jambojet passengers travelling to the Coast over Christmas were hit by flight delays and cancellations.

The airline said the delays resulted from technical problems on one Bombardier, which was compounded by the delayed arrival of the aircraft to handle higher passenger numbers during the holiday season.

Jambojet, which issued an apology for these delays, has since then set out to increase its fleet to avoid a repeat of this incident even as looks to expand regionally.

Jambojet has slashed baggage fees by up to 65 per cent in a bid to generate more non-passenger ticket revenue for the budget airline.

The low-cost carrier has announced that its highest luggage fee, charged on 32 kilogrammes of baggage, will drop to Sh5,500 for payments made at their airport and half that for bookings made through agents or online.

This marks a sharp fall from the Sh15,600 and Sh7,800 respectively which Jambojet, a Kenya Airways subsidiary, was charging its customers.

We have reduced the rates, allowing passengers to carry more for less, Jambojet chief executive Willem Hondius said. We have also reduced the baggage fee bands making it easier for passengers to choose.

Jambojet’s baggage policy review comes a few months after it hired Catherine Mwangi as its ancillary manager.

Ancillary services in the airline industry include entertainment, onboard shopping, Internet gaming, car hire, frequent flier programmes, hotel bookings, checked baggage and better cabin seating.

The extras normally add on to and sometimes exceed the budget ticket costs.

Ms Mwangi has previously held various marketing jobs at Qatar Airways, Air France-KLM as well as South African Airways.

Payments made at the airport will cost double across all bands.

Jambojet achieved a 90 per cent on-time-performance (OTP) in September and October mainly driven by a new fleet, records show.

The low-cost carrier recorded a six per cent higher average of OTP in the two months after recording 84 per cent in August.

OTP is an industry benchmark calculated based on flights taking off and landing within 15 minutes of the scheduled time.

We are well over our target of 80 per cent which is considerably better than the industry average. Without a doubt, this is a very good sign as we go into the peak festive season, said Jambojet chief executive Willem Hondius.

Our investment in the two new Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircrafts has enabled us to deliver a very reliable flight schedule across the country and live up to the expectation of customers.

The airline has maintained an average OTP of 85 per cent in the past seven months, Mr Hondius said.

Jambojet has in its nearly four years of operation in Kenya increased its routes from four to six, with increased frequency of flights due to fleet expansion.

It currently operates 75 flights per week on its domestic routes from Nairobi to Mombasa, Eldoret, Kisumu, Malindi and Ukunda.

The airline, which has a code-share agreement with Kenya Airways for domestic travel, expects delivery of two new aircraft later this year.




Tourism Observer

KENYA: Jambojet Takes Delivery Of Brand New Bombardier Q400NextGen

Jambojet will take delivery of another brand new Bombardier Q400NextGen in May and a second one later in the year as Kenya's main LCC seeks to expand operations to new destinations.

Both aircraft, Bombardier confirmed this, will be through a long term lease arrangement with Russia's Ilyushin Finance Co. which has reportedly converted an option for a Q400NextGen into a firm order, now having two on their books and beat other more established aircraft leasing companies to the door.

This agreement for these next generation turboprops signifies a key development in IFC’s international leasing business' said Alexander Rubtsov, Director General, IFC.

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.

The delivery of these two aircraft will increase the fleet of Q Series turboprops in Africa to over 120 aircraft including about 70 Q400 aircraft.

We are impressed with the level of professionalism that IFC exhibited throughout the process that led to this first agreement, and are delighted to have found a trusted and reliable partner to support our development plans said Willem Hondius, Chief Executive Officer, Jambojet.

The Q400 aircraft’s performance has exceeded our expectations on all fronts.

With its low operating costs and best-in-class passenger experience, the Q400 turboprop has helped us optimize and expand our operations and is undeniably the backbone of Jambojet’s growth strategy.

Jean Paul Boutibou, Vice President, Sales, Middle-East and Africa at Bombardier Commercial Aircraft responded when he said: We are proud of the Q400 aircraft continued success in Africa.

Jambojet’s operations illustrate the capabilities and qualities of the Q400 aircraft that make it uniquely suitable for the region.

The Q400 is a valuable asset for owners and operators, and we are confident that IFC and Jambojet will find many more opportunities to mutually benefit from the aircraft’s outstanding economics and performance'.

Bombardier has recorded firm orders for a total of 573 Q400 aircraft.

KENYA: Kenya Airways Improves, Many Congratulations To Management

Over the last two years, Kenya Airways has weathered the most turbulent period in its four-decade history.

However, the airline has demonstrated resilience against the after-shocks of the poor performance recorded in the financial year 2014-15.

Pessimism about the airline’s prospects and future is slowly dissipating, thanks to aggressive measures geared to sustained recovery of the national carrier.

Kenya Airways is now on a promising trajectory. Operation Pride – the strategy to turn around the airline – is yielding fruit.

Some initiatives under the strategy have been successfully executed resulting in improved financial and operational performance.

In the last three quarters of 2016-2017 financial year to December, for instance, KQ flew 3.4 million passengers, the highest number in its four decades of existence.

We achieved this despite tight fleet capacity arising from the lease and sale of some aircraft as part of ongoing measures to manage costs.

A lot of this growth is coming from Africa, especially North Africa and East Africa where capacity grew by 9.6 per cent and 7.1 per cent, respectively.

From the foregoing, it is evident that Africa is contributing significantly to the airline's recovery. Indeed, Africa remains our mainstay and is at the heart of our recovery strategy.

For us, it’s not just about offering seamless connectivity, but also enabling the sustainable economic development of the continent.

Last year, we were awarded the African Airlines Association Outstanding Service Award for service delivery, innovation and competitiveness in the African aviation industry.

We are winning in Africa. We were recognised by the World Travel Awards as the leading airline in Africa and the best business class airline in Africa.

Fleet rationalisation is one of the core recovery initiatives. The other is network optimisation geared to growing revenue by capitalising improving connectivity.

This includes increasing flight frequencies on certain routes to maximise volumes and revenue. We are also in the process of reviewing certain strategic relationships with our key airline partners.

An example is our joint venture with KLM which has undergone a series of iterations in line with our network optimisation process. These changes will increase revenue from our European and North American markets.

This journey has been exciting though not without some challenges. It must be understood that the aviation business is perennially fraught with risks ranging from bad weather to currency volatility and uncertain oil prices.

Although our On-Time-Performance (OTP) – a measure of operational efficiency – has improved overall, we experienced delays in December owing to bad weather in Europe and the Middle East.

Also, and our subsidiary Jambojet had challenges on-boarding new aircraft resulting in delays over the Christmas period. We know that delays constitute a major pain point for our customers and are working hard to minimise such inconveniences.

Kenya Airways has also been losing pilots and engineers. We see this is a major area of concern and a risk factor to the organisation.

The Board has made some decisions aimed at attracting and retaining critical talent. Additionally, management has been working closely with the Kenya Airline Pilots Association, to drive productivity and find a winning formula on contentious issues.

Enhancing employee productivity remains a critical pillar of Operation Pride.

As such, the airline has had to let go of a number of employees and redeployed others within the organisation. But we do not anticipate any further major layoffs in the near future.

One major plank of our turnaround is the balance sheet optimisation. The work around this has been going on over the last six months.

I recognise the strong support and willingness of our financial partners to support the consensual approach to liquidit and deb reduction. We have made significant progress. The next two months will be crucial to the closure of this issue.

Let me take this opportunity to clarify that the Kenya Airways Board has reviewed the contract with Mckinsey, the consulting firm advising on the turnaround.

It was felt that since major initiatives under Operation Pride are now complete, the performance-based contract under which Mckinsey were hired required changes. Going forward, we will pay Mckinsey only for specific expertise.

All the remaining Operation Pride initiatives are being implemented by the KQ team under a Chief Transformation Officer, within Kenya Airways.

In a nutshell, Operation Pride is in cruise mode and there’s no turning back. Kenya Airways’ prospects are shining brighter by the day.

The dark days are certainly behind us. We may not be there yet but the gains so far achieved under Operation Pride are something to be proud of. I urge all Kenyans to support the national carrier as it enters its next phase of growth as the Pride of Africa.

KENYA: Jambojet Apologises To Passengers After Delayed And Cancelled Flights

Jambojet has apologised to thousands of holidaymakers who were stranded for three days at various airports after its flights to various holiday destinations in the Coast region were delayed and cancelled at the eleventh hour.

The domestic carrier conceded that the flight crisis was caused by excess booking of passengers and its failure to lease additional flights the current festive season.

In a statement, Jambojet customer service manager Mary Mwangi said the carrier's existing smaller aircraft could not accommodate the high volume of booked passengers.

“We apologize to all concerned for the unpleasant nature of this entire experience and assure all that we are doing our utmost to resolve the issue as soon as possible,” said Ms Mwangi.
She added: “We, at Jambojet, have had some unexpected technical challenges on our Q400 fleet that operates most of our coastal routes. Additionally, the delivery of our newly leased aircraft initially scheduled for introduction during the peak season was delayed due to unforeseen circumstances and will only be delivered in early 2017,”.

“As a result of the combination of these factors as well as the unavailability of aircraft of the same capacity, we have had to reschedule flights and carry passengers on smaller aircraft. This being high season, we have a high volume of booked passengers all of whom cannot be accommodated on these smaller aircraft,”

“We have therefore [endeavoured] to fly more frequencies with these smaller capacity aircraft and also re-route remaining passengers via Mombasa and put other passengers on Kenya Airways flights, where seats are available, to get them to their destinations,”

On Tuesday, hundreds of passengers flying to Lamu for this year’s Maulid festival were stranded for two days at Malindi Airport.

Most of affected passengers were travelling from Mombasa, Malindi and other coastal towns to the archipelago for the annual Islamic festival, which is scheduled to end this weekend.

The Kenya Airways-owned firm booked the stranded passengers in some of hotels in Malindi town before putting them on early morning flights on Wednesday and Thursday.

Others opted to forfeit their flights and travelled by public service vehicles plying between Mombasa and Lamu, a journey that takes almost nine hours due to security checkpoints mounted between Garsen in Tana River and Mokowe in Lamu County.

Some of passengers who were to fly from Malindi to Nairobi were ferried by road to Mombasa before boarding flights at Moi International Airport.

Similarly, scores of passengers who were to travel directly to Ukunda airstrip to enjoy their holidays in various hotels in South Coast were instead flown to Mombasa airport and transferred by road to reach their destinations.

Kenya Coast Tourism Association (KCTA) chairman Mohammed Hersi expressed his dismay over why Jambojet had booked passengers heading to Ukunda on a bigger aircraft that could land at Ukunda airstrip before diverting the plane to Moi International Airport, Mombasa.

“Why would you sell more tickets than you can handle then you take a bigger aircraft that cannot land in Ukunda. Passengers heading to Ukunda chose a direct flight to avoid the pain at the ferry and you go ahead to subject them to the same pain again without any qualms,” stated the KCTA chairman.

Two months ago, Jambojet announced additional flights to all destinations within the country including Lamu ahead of the festive season.

Jambojet Chief Executive Officer Willem Hondius said: “We are cognizant of the increased demand for flights during the festive season as people go on holiday or travel back home. We want to ensure that we provide our customers with value for money, greater choice as well as flexibility with the additional frequencies.”

He announced the carrier would increase flights to Mombasa from 22 weekly to 31 and 20 flights per week to Kisumu, Eldoret and Ukunda and 16 weekly flights to Malindi from 13.

KENYA: Kenya Civil Aviation Authority Investigates Jambojet

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority is investigating Jambojet after thousands of the domestic airline’s passengers were flown in a large plane that could not land at Ukunda Airstrip in Kwale County.

The airline, owned by national carrier Kenya Airways, was faulted for diverting the plane to Moi International Airport, Mombasa, and transporting the passengers by road amid the hectic activity of crossing the Likoni Channel by ferry.

Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) Director-General Gilbert Macharia Kibe said the investigations will also cover overbooking, which led to passengers being stranded for days at various airports.

In a December 30, 2016 letter to Kenya Coast Tourism Association chairman Mohamed Hersi, Mr Kibe stated that the KCAA will also investigate delays and cancellations of flights to Malindi and Lamu and Ukunda at the eleventh hour without properly informing the affected passengers.

“We at the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority would like to assure you and all other stakeholders that we are investigating the matter and, if the airline is found culpable, we shall take the necessary action,” said Mr Kibe in a letter signed on his behalf by someone identified as "S Wesechere".

There were widespread complaints by hoteliers, who were dealt a major blow after thousands of domestic tourists failed to reach their destinations.

Thousands of passengers flying to Lamu for the annual Maulid Festival had to cancel their trips as others arrived days late.

Others opted to travel by public service vehicles plying between Mombasa and Lamu, a journey that takes almost nine hours due to security checkpoints between Garsen in Tana River County and Mokowe in Lamu.

Some passengers who were to fly from Malindi to Nairobi were ferried by road to Mombasa to board flights at Moi International.

Mr Hersi had challenged the KCAA to ensure airlines operated by the rules and regulations so as to ensure tourism and other sectors of the economy that depend on the aviation industry proceed uninterrupted.

“To KCAA, we have 30,000-plus beds to fill, we have 100,000 Kenyans who earn both directly and indirectly from tourism at the Kenya Coast. As a regulator, why do you allow such sloppy service?” Mr Hersi asked.

He added: “You’re equal on matters of communication when you gave mobile telephone companies sleepless nights for dropped calls and other mundane stuff, while you guys sit pretty when holidays are messed up, connecting flight to international flights are all messed. You have a duty and a role to play. Take action,”

In an interview with the Nation, Mr Hersi said it was not their wish for Jambojet operations to be suspended by the KCAA.

In a statement, Jambojet customer service manager Mary Mwangi said the carrier’s smaller aircraft could not handle the high volume of bookings.

“We apologise to all concerned for the unpleasant nature of this entire experience and assure all that we are doing our utmost to resolve the issue as soon as possible,” said Ms Mwangi.

Two months ago, Jambojet announced additional flights to all destinations in the country, including Lamu, ahead of the festive season.

Jambojet Chief Executive Officer Willem Hondius said: “We are cognizant of the increased demand for flights during the festive season as people go on holiday or travel back home."

KENYA: Jambojet Dissapoints Passengers, With Delays, Cancellations And Negligence

'They should be sued for the damage they caused to our travel plans' shouted a passenger from Kenya, who had been booked to travel to Lamu on Jambojet but was offloaded at Malindi's Airport and left to fend for himself and his family.

Jambojet, one of Kenya's low cost airlines, had over the past days, according to affected passengers, set new lows for dealing with delayed and canceled flights, in particular vis a vis response times of emails and social media queries, where, if at all, template replies appear to have been copied and pasted by Jambojet staff.

Only days after the full impact of the delays became public did the airline finally admit what aviation pundits had already established, that technical issues with one of the airline's leased Q400's saw the entire schedule literally fall apart, with travelers booked to the Ukunda airfield close to the Diani beaches being dumped at the main airport in Mombasa, having to make their own way to their resorts.

'I booked my flight to Ukunda because I want to avoid the dreadful drive through Mombasa and then the agonizing wait at the ferry. Flying directly saves many hours each way and Jambojet stole those precious vacation hours from us. How can an airline just dump us in Mombasa when our ticket says Ukunda. To make it worse, where was the station manager and duty manager of the airline? This will have consequences, that is all I can tell you right now' ranted another Nairobi based regular reader, fuming with anger.

Meanwhile, Tourists at Diani airstrip Kwale county welcomed by Miss tourism drawn from all 47 counties on Mar 28th 2015, Jumbojet a KQ product made its first stop in Diani Kwale County.

Hoteliers at the Coast have accused low-cost carrier Jambojet of “dumping passengers” midway their journeys and delaying flights. Through their lobby group – the Kenya Coast Tourism Association – the hoteliers said the carrier has been dumping passengers destined for Ukunda and Malindi at the Moi International Airport (Mombasa).

“Passengers heading to Ukunda chose a direct flight to avoid the pain at the ferry, and you go ahead to subject them to the same pain again without any qualms. Why don’t you just sell what you can handle instead of giving a false promise of having the capacity to land in Ukunda or Malindi,” KCTA chairman Mohammed Hersi said. He said the inconveniences are hurting domestic tourism , a blow to hotels. However, Jambojet said it has had “unexpected technical challenges” on its fleet that operates most of its coastal routes.

“Additionally, the delivery of our newly leased aircrafts initially schedules for introduction during the peak season was delayed due to unforeseen circumstances, and will only be delivered in early 2017,” the management said in a statement yesterday.

This, it said, has forced the carrier to reschedule flights and carry passengers on smaller aircrafts, while re-routing others via Mombasa using Kenya Airways flights. “We apologise to all concerned for the unpleasant nature of this entire experience and we will resolve the issue,” the management said.

KENYA: Jambojet Looking For Pilots To Fly Bombardier Dash 8 And Boeing 737

Jambojet is seeking new pilots for its fleet, signalling possible expansion plans for the airline even as its parent, Kenya Airways, faces a court case over the mode of employing flight crews.

The budget airline on Friday advertised vacancies for captains and first officers capable of flying the Bombardier Dash 8 and Boeing 737 airplanes; which they use on their Nairobi, Eldoret, Coast and Kisumu routes.

Jambojet, which is a subsidiary of national carrier Kenya Airways, in March sparked a court row with KQ pilots following the carrier’s decision to lease external crew for the low-cost carrier.

The Kenya Airways (KQ) pilots argued that the move could see them lose their jobs.

The High Court in June stopped KQ pilots from going on strike until the human resource dispute is resolved, but the move by Jambojet to begin hiring pilots adds a new twist to the ongoing tussle.

“Jambojet is a low-cost airline that is revolutionsing the way you travel by opening up the skies for all to fly for less,” the carrier, whose fleet consists of two of each of the Dash 8 and Boeing 737 aircraft, said in a notice.

“We are currently recruiting for the following opportunities; captains and first officers B737-300, captains and first officers Dash 8 series.”

However it is not known how many personnel Jambojet is seeking to employ and on which routes they will be deployed.

Jambojet requires that applicants for the Boeing 737 captain position have at least flown for 4,000 hours, while those applying for the top job on the Bombardier plane should have clocked a minimum of 3,000 hours of flight time.

First officers for both planes are required to have flown for at least 500 actual hours among several other qualifications.

The low-cost carrier, which began operation in April 2014, hired the aircraft from Canadian firm DAC Aviation under a wet lease agreement to operate the Coast routes of Malindi, Lamu and Ukunda. This agreement also secured a crew for the duration of the contract.

The Kenya Airlines Pilots Association (Kalpa) filed a suit on behalf of KQ pilots saying the deal was signed illegally and without consultation contrary to normal procedure.

Kalpa argued that the move may render Jambojet pilots redundant, as the airline also plans to use the aircraft in dispute on other routes.

Jambojet CEO Willem Hondius, while launching the Malindi, Lamu and Ukunda flights last March, said the Dash 8 Q400 plane being used on the three routes would later be deployed on the Kisumu and Eldoret routes.

The pilots lobby also wants KQ to extend an agreement for pilots’ working conditions to Jambojet personnel, while the national carrier insists that the lobby should initiate separate talks with the budget airline.

KENYA: Kenya Airways Baby, Jambojet Makes Huge Profits

Low-cost carrier Jambojet last month reported net profits of Sh57 million for the first six months of its financial year. The results that covered April to September 2015 were welcome news for shareholders, who absorbed a Sh237 million loss over a similar period last year.

Jambojet, which operates a Boeing 737 and leased Bombardier planes between major Kenyan cities, was started by national carrier Kenya Airways last year.

The budget airline reported a 14 per cent increase in passenger numbers in its latest financials, with planes flying 75 per cent full, up from 60 per cent. Now, Jambojet — which says it controls 35 per cent of the country’s budget airline industry — has launched a campaign to further improve its numbers.

Airline CEO, Willem Hondius, on what opportunities the firm plans to exploit, and how it hopes to get more Kenyans into the skies. Your financial year has started well after last year’s losses.

The turnaround must be welcome. As stated in the KQ annual report ended 2015 March, Jambojet had a turnover of Sh2.6 billion. As subsidiary of KQ, we can’t talk about current figures, but last year we had start-up losses and this year we are doing well. We also expect to carry more passengers than we did last year.

How much market share would you say Jambojet has grabbed from formal bus companies?

That is difficult to say. Research showed that about 35 per cent of our passengers were first-time flyers. We carried about 500,000 passengers last year.

Theoretically, that would mean that we got 175,000 passengers who travelled by other means before, or did not travel at all. Is the current campaign you’re running to get more people to fly an attempt to make up for failing to hit your target for annual passenger traffic last year?

This campaign has nothing to do with last year’s numbers as such. We try to stimulate people to travel by plane as it is faster, more convenient and safer.

We want to grow the market, and that means that we need to attract new passengers. That is what the campaign is about. How many domestic routes are you eyeing in the next phase of your growth plan? There are still a number of domestic routes we would like to fly to.

This, however, depends on the development of the domestic airports. In certain cases, the infrastructure, such as runways and passenger facilities, does not allow us yet to operate to all the areas we’re eyeing.

At a certain stage, we will also operate in the region. We will announce these developments when the time comes.

Can passengers expect a reduction in Jambojet ticket prices?

Our fares are already very competitive. We offer the lowest fares in the market, and the earlier you book, the cheaper you fly.

How do you intend to address passenger delays, especially on the Nairobi-North Rift route by passing through Kisumu?

As happens with any airline, we face delays once in a while. In general, our on-time performance is high. On average, 85 per cent of our flights depart on time, which is high compared to the industry average.

Do you have any updates to share on Jambojet’s planned leasing of planes and pilots’ fears of job losses?

We operate two B737-300 and two Bombardier Q400. The more aircraft we operate, the more jobs we create for pilots and other staff.

Meanwhile,Kenyan budget airline Jambojet said on Monday it made pretax profit of 53.3 million shillings in its first half ended September from a loss of 244 million shillings ($2.4 million) in the same period last year.

Jambojet, which operates a Boeing 737 and leased Bombardier planes between major Kenyan cities, was started by national carrier Kenya Airways last year, to take advantage of growing demand for air travel services.

This driven by a growing appetite for low-price flights in preference to lengthy bus trips on dilapidated roads. Passenger numbers rose 14 percent during the period, meaning its planes were 75 percent full, up from 60 percent full in the same period in 2014.

Jambojet says it controls 35 percent of the local budget airline industry in Kenya. Its parent company Kenya Airways made a pretax loss of 11.9 billion shillings in the same period.

KENYA: Jambojet Records Sh57 million Six-month Profit As Domestic Business Goes Up

Passengers board a Jambojet aircraft on its maiden flight to Kisumu.

Jambojet, a low budget airline which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kenya Airways, has reported a successful turnaround in the six months of April to September 2015, recording a Sh57 million profit.

Jambojet’s Chief Executive Mr William Hondius attributed the major gain to their ongoing campaign in newly introduced routes where they have managed to lure first time fliers who now contribute up to 30 per cent of its business.

“Our introduction of the two Bombardier Q400 aircraft made it possible to add new routes resulting in an increase in customers.

“We now have more work and opportunity ahead to ensure more Kenyans can access affordable flights as we continue to execute our long-term plan,” added Hondius.

This is unlike the previous period under review in 2014 during which it posted a Sh237 million loss as it heavily spent on marketing the newly introduced routes.

Mr Hondius said that Jambojet’s successful turnaround showed that low budget carriers were the right models for Kenya’s internal air passenger business, adding that since inception in April 2014, about 30 per cent of its passengers were first time flyers.

Saying Jambojet now commanded a 35 per cent market share in the Kenyan domestic market, the CEO said that more people had embraced flying from Nairobi to their rural homes while tourists also preferred using the low budget airlines that now directly fly to the newly constructed Ukunda Airstrip.

“The Ukunda airstrip has helped as gain traction with August 2015 hitting an all-time high of 10,800 tourists.

“It is a sure boost to our business and tourism in the coastal region.

“Jambojet will now be able to fly close to full capacity on its Bombardier Q400 aircraft which carries 78 passengers,” he said.

The depreciation of the Kenyan shilling against the dollar by 13 per cent compared to the same period in 2014 coupled with a decrease in fuel costs by 53 per cent were blamed for the Sh56 million loss.

The CEO said that Jambojet now had a solid base in Eldoret where it recorded a 50 per cent growth leading to an increase in flights to three daily flights a week except Sundays when it runs two flights.

Regional Airlines Talk On Way Forward

The four partner states in the Northern Corridor Integration Projects (NCIP) – Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, and South Sudan - have finally come to appreciate that the proliferation of airlines in the region will sooner or later bring about a waste of scarce resources unless cooperation supersedes national narrow-minded ego trips, mostly by people with their own agenda.

It was welcome news, therefore, when after the last meeting of the NCIP countries in Kenya, information began to emerge that in particular South Sudan – though not a member of the East African Community but nevertheless a part of the NCIP group – and perhaps more reluctantly Uganda, came on board and agreed to promote both RwandAir and Kenya Airways to provide for the air travel needs of their respective citizens.

Bureaucrats in the national aviation regulatory offices have been tasked to create a single airspace area for the four countries, effectively preparing the way for RwandAir and Kenya Airways – Uganda and South Sudan do not have national airlines – to operate without any restrictions across the region.

RwandAir is presently operating flights from Entebbe to/from Juba and from Entebbe to/from Nairobi under fifth freedom rights. The Rwandan national airline in particular, after announcing their order for four more brand-new aircraft due to be delivered next year, including two Airbus A330s, will offer Ugandans the option to travel across the region and the continent via Kigali while expanding destinations to China, India, and Europe next year.

Similar to operations by Brussels Airlines and KLM, both of which fly from their hubs via Kigali to Entebbe, RwandAir could route their wide-body flights via Entebbe, too, subject to sufficient passenger numbers boarding and de-boarding, or else provide more feeder flights out of Entebbe to Kigali.

The same principle applies to Kenya Airways’ flights in equal terms for Juba and for Entebbe, to connect passengers from these two points of origin into their regional, African, and intercontinental network.

It is understood that the opening of the airspaces might well be restricted to the respective national carriers leaving other airlines, in particular those privately owned in Kenya out of the equation who will have to compete as designated airlines for point-to-point traffic.

The ministerial working group will submit their findings and recommendations to the next NCIP Head of State Summit which was postponed due to East Africa’s presidents attending the UN General Assembly in New York, making a postponement of the Nairobi NCIP Summit necessary.

Mr. Barry Kashambo, formerly the head of CASSOA and now Regional Director for ICAO based in Nairobi, was quoted to have said that such a move was bound to bring airfares down and increase the number of frequencies connecting the region.

The new deal could become effective, provided that in particular the notorious Kenyan regulators are kept on a tight leash, as early as the first quarter of 2016 and then provide passengers out of Entebbe and Juba with additional flights operated by Kenya Airways and RwandAir.

Left out of this development are Burundi, the worst-connected country in the East African Community and also almost shunned due to recent political events, and Tanzania, which opted to stay out of the fast-track cooperation entered into by Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan, and Kenya.

Subsequently Tanzania’s airlines will not benefit from these additional opportunities which are now beckoning on the horizon, leaving that country to ponder what new path to embark on after a new president comes into office following the upcoming elections.

Aviation industry organizations like IATA and of course AFRAA, the African Airline Association based in Nairobi, have for long promoted the concept of closer cooperation instead of constant fragmentation to see more viable airlines emerge which have the capacity to withstand the competitive pressures of not just the European legacy airlines but in particular the emerging mega airlines from the Gulf and from Turkey.

What is need in East Africa, in fact across Africa, is a sound mix between full-service airlines and low-cost airlines. The latter has, and I give you Jambojet in Kenya and Fastjet in Tanzania as an example, brought a whole new segment of travelers to go by air instead of using buses or trains.

However, the former will equally have a place because of connectivity through their hubs rather than point-to-point traffic. If existing and well-operating airlines like Kenya Airways and RwandAir can be given full access to the market in Uganda and South Sudan, it will benefit travelers as much as the airlines.

What the countries must, however, watch out for is that limits are set on fares to avoid exploitative ticket prices, because that would kill this concept instantly.