Jambojet (JM, Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta) has suspended the sale of tickets for flights to Bujumbura after Burundian authorities refused to grant the low-cost carrier the requisite operating permits.
According to a Kenya Airways statement, although JamboJet secured intergovernmental authorization for its proposed daily Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta-Bujumbura service, it failed to secure approval from the Burundian Ministry of Transport ostensibly because of its use of Dash 8-400 equipment.
"It is ... surprising and disappointing that we did not receive the requisite approval from the Ministry of Transport, Public Works, Equipment and Land Use Planning in Burundi to operate because of the aircraft type," it said. "Jambojet's fleet, like many other airlines, consists the all-economy Bombardier Q400 which serves domestic and regional markets."
Despite the rejection, Kenya Airways said it would continue to operate its own daily E190 service while engaging authorities in Bujumbura.
The Burundi service was one of several destinations Jambojet had targetted for its planned international growth spurt. Other countries where it has sought rights include Rwanda, Ethiopia, Sudan, Congo (Democratic Republic of), and Tanzania. To facilitate its growth, Jambojet recently agreed to lease two more Q400s from Chorus Aviation with deliveries scheduled for the second half of 2019. Their addition will bring to seven the number of Q400s Jambojet operates.
