Jambojet has added a new Dash 8 Q400 aircraft to its fleet, expanding capacity on key domestic routes as Kenya’s leading low-cost carrier responds to rising travel demand.
Jambojet has added an additional De Havilland Canada Dash 8 Q400 aircraft to its fleet, increasing the airline’s total number of aircraft to ten as domestic travel demand continues to grow in Kenya.
The aircraft was formally received at Jambojet’s main hub at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi by Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Karanja Ndegwa, together with senior aviation officials led by JKIA Airport Manager Dr Rose Koros.
Speaking at the reception event, Ndegwa said the fleet addition forms part of Jambojet’s long-term expansion strategy, aimed at increasing its domestic market share to 65 per cent. He noted that the aircraft will support additional capacity on key routes including Kisumu, Eldoret and Diani, while also enabling the airline to explore network expansion within East Africa and beyond.
In the near term, the aircraft, registered as 5Y-JXO, will help meet the elevated passenger demand associated with the festive season, traditionally the busiest travel period of the year.
The ferry flight from Ontario, Canada covered more than 12,000 kilometres and was operated by Captain David Kirera, Captain Kassim Mazrui and First Officer Sharon Murila. The delivery route included stopovers in Iceland, the United Kingdom, Malta, Egypt and Ethiopia before the aircraft’s final arrival in Nairobi.
Jambojet operates as a regional low-cost carrier, serving six destinations from its primary hub in Nairobi to Mombasa, Eldoret, Kisumu, Malindi, Ukunda (Diani) and Lamu. From its secondary hub in Mombasa, the airline operates routes to Kisumu, Eldoret and Zanzibar, alongside cargo services across its network.
Launched in April 2014, Jambojet became the only low-cost carrier in Kenya to receive IATA Operational Safety Audit registration in July 2019. The airline is a four-time recipient of Africa’s Leading Low Cost Airline award in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, and has also received the De Havilland Canada Reliability Award in 2018 and 2019 for dispatch reliability on the Dash 8-400 series in Africa and the Middle East.
Over 11 years of operations, Jambojet has grown its fleet to nine De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 aircraft, carried more than 8.6 million passengers, and introduced low-cost air
SOURCE AND IMAGE: JAMBOJET – CAPTION:
Caption: Captain David Kirera (L) and First Officer Sharon Murila during a stopover in Addis Ababa.
