Passengers aboard Jambojet flight JM 8650 from Nairobi to Kisumu were safely evacuated on Sunday after the aircraft aborted takeoff following a system caution alert detected before departure.
In a statement, the airline said the incident occurred at 6:00 am and that the takeoff was halted as a precautionary safety measure.
Jambojet said all passengers and crew safely disembarked and were assisted by the airline's ground team after the alert was detected.
“We can confirm all the guests and crew safely disembarked from the aircraft and received the necessary assistance from our team on the ground. The aircraft was safely moved back to the bay for technical evaluation by our maintenance team,” the airline said.
The aircraft involved, registration 5Y-JXL, was operating the Nairobi–Kisumu route.
The airline apologised for the disruption, stressing that safety remains its top priority.
“We sincerely apologise for the distress and inconvenience this incident may have caused and assure that the safety and well-being of our guests and crew remain our top priority,” Jambojet said.
The incident comes as Jambojet seeks to reassure passengers that its operations will continue despite a planned strike notice issued by the Kenya Aviation Workers Union (KAWU).
The airline has maintained that flights will operate as scheduled despite the union's planned industrial action targeting four major aviation organisations: Jambojet, Kenya Airways, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) and the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA).
KAWU Secretary General Moses Ndiema said on Friday that the strike would involve employees from the four institutions over what the union described as continued violations of collective bargaining agreements signed with workers.
Ndiema said the strike notice took effect on Monday, July 20, warning that unresolved grievances could disrupt operations across the aviation sector.
However, in a statement issued on Saturday, July 25, Jambojet dismissed claims that it has a collective bargaining agreement with KAWU governing the employment terms of its staff.
“Jambojet does not have a formal arrangement with KAWU under which employment terms and conditions are negotiated collectively on behalf of its employees,” the airline said.
The airline also assured customers, partners and the travelling public that its operations would continue as normal.
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