Budget airline Jambojet has increased its frequency to Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), stepping up competition with carriers such as RwandaAir that operates on the route.
Jambojet, a subsidiary of the national carrier Kenya Airways, now flies three times per week to Goma from its hub at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi up from two when it started operations on the route in September.
“We have added flights on the Nairobi Goma route due an increase in demand for passengers,” said the airline Thursday.
“ Starting this week, our flights to Goma will be flying on Monday , Wednesday and Friday per week up from the initial schedule of Monday and Friday.”
The carrier started operations on the route on September 10, becoming the first airline to directly connect the capital of North Kivu province and Nairobi.
The carrier said that passenger heading to Goma in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, will pay an average fare of Sh43, 134 ($384.95) on a return ticket.
A one-way flight it said will initially cost $190 (Sh21, 289 ) from Goma but $207 (Sh23,194) from Nairobi.
DRC market is currently served by the national carrier Congo Airways, which flies to eight domestic destinations, including Goma, Kinshasa and Lubumbashi.
The DRC route is becoming one of the favourite routes for carriers with airlines taking advantage of poor connectivity in that market.
Kenya, just like many other countries, are looking to leverage on the DRC market by diversifying its export destinations, particularly when the Covid-19 induced disruption has brought into focus the need for deeper inter-regional trade.
The airline is taking advantage of the huge opportunity the African market has to offer, and the rising demand for air connectivity in the region.“There is a growing demand for air transport across the continent, with the International Air Transport Association projecting that Africa will become one of the fastest growing aviation regions within the next 20 years, with an average annual expansion rate of almost five percent. We, as Jambojet, are keen to be part of this growth,” said Jambojet in a past interview.