The airline plans to expand across the region by introducing new routes, and will also unveil new consumer campaigns that are aimed at bolstering the customer numbers, especially among the first fliers. [Photo/Nairobiwire]

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An average of 81 percent of Jambojet flights arrived and departed on time during the month of May, according to statistics released by the budget airline on Tuesday.

The on-time performance (OTP) statistics is up from 51 percent in December 2016, but down from 85 percent this past April. The universal standard benchmark set by IATA (International Airlines Transport Association) considers flights departing within 15 minutes of the scheduled departure time as being on-time. An OTP of 80% and above is considered excellent by international aviation standards.

In the second quarter of the year, Jambojet has continued to show steady progress in customer numbers and can be attributed to increased traffic during the Easter and Madaraka holidays, as well as the addition of the new aircraft.

Jambojet’s Chief Executive Officer Willem Hondius said, “we have recorded growth in customer numbers especially to Mombasa, Kisumu and Malindi. We attribute out growth in Malindi to the code share agreement signed with Kenya Airways last year, while for Kisumu is due to increased economic activity in the county. Heightened political activities in the larger Western Region including Kakamega, Bungoma, Busia, Kisii and Kapsabet, boosted growth in Kisumu.”

“Our focus continues to be in providing a diversified range of products, stellar on time performance and world class customer service. In the second half of the year, we are working hard on revenue generation with more aggressive marketing and sales initiatives,” he further explained.

The overall customer satisfaction index increased in this quarter as a result of various product enhancements. The newly revamped online booking portal, which allows consumers to hold fares for up to 24 hours, as well as access to a discounted bundle of travel extras like luggage and seat selection was well received by both corporate and individual customers.

Customers also appreciate the convenience of same day return flights, and getting to their destinations in a short span of time, especially when travelling on business.

In this second half, the airline plans to expand across the region by introducing new routes, and will also unveil new consumer campaigns that are aimed at bolstering the customer numbers, especially among the first fliers.

Jambojet currently flies to seven domestic destinations; Nairobi to Mombasa, Eldoret, Kisumu, Lamu, Malindi and Ukunda (Diani). The no-frills airline, launched in April 2014, has enabled affordable air travel for all, with first time flyers accounting for about 30% of its customers. In the three years of operation, the no-frills airline has achieved undeniable business growth; increased frequency of flights due to fleet expansion and having have flown over 1,600,000 passengers.