Aviation Industry: Precision air vs Air Tanzania vs Fastjet

Geza Ulole said:

watch out throling will get you a ban

Click to expand...

haaahaaaaa.you funny or something.this is yours sincerely.what the big deal you refusing a reminder and start threats here abt a ban.
cc. lawmaina 78

Fastjet set for flights to Zimbabwe

Posted June 23, 2014 by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang H. Thome in Uncategorized. Leave a Comment
FASTJET ANNOUNCES HARARE FLIGHTS
(Posted 23rd June 2014)
image168 image169

Fastjet today announced the launch of their third international destination after Johannesburg and Lusaka, the latter operated by Fastjet and flown in codeshare with Zambia's ProFlight. From 05th of August will East Africa's first real LCC operate every Tuesday and Saturday to Harare / Zimbabwe at a cost, subject to terms and conditions of prebookings, of US Dollars 50 per sector, PLUS TAXES AND REGULATORY FEES is should pointed out.

Already Tanzania's number one airline in terms of passengers carried, does the third international destination also put Fastjet to the top of countries served from Tanzania, outpacing the competition which has invariably withdrawn from Johannesburg, Lusaka and Harare over the past years.

The news broke in a timely fashion as Fastjet is presently participating in the Routes Africa conference taking place incidentally in Victoria Falls where the carrier is represented by Mr. Richard Bodin who was recently appointed to the board of Fastjet PLC, a publicly listed company in the UK and the umbrella for the African operations.

Zimbabwe's Transport Minister was quoted from the sidelines of the Routes Africa conference as having said: 'The Government of
Zimbabwe is delighted that Fastjet is expanding its international route network to include Harare and that in doing so is bringing its low-cost, reliable and safe service to the people of Zimbabwe. Fastjet's entry into Zimbabwe demonstrates the Ministry of Transport's on-going commitment to the improvement of our country's aviation industry and to the development of trade relationships with our neighbours. We look forward to continuing our discussions with Fastjet regarding the airline's further expansion in Zimbabwe'. The closing comment could indicate that once operations by FastJet in Zambia have commenced, that flights to Victoria Falls may also be on the cards at a future time, either from Dar es Salaam or from Lusaka.

Watch this space for breaking and regular aviation news from across Eastern and Central Africa and the Indian Ocean region.

Fastjet set for flights to Zimbabwe | Wolfgang H. Thome's Blog

Precision hawataki gharama za mafuta ni mwendo wa ATR mpaka kieleweke.

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FastJet's Chiefs Over-Paid for Losses, Investor Stelios Says

By Chris Jasper - Jul 30, 2014
FastJet Plc (FJET) executives including Chief Executive Officer Ed Winter are being paid too much given the African low-cost airline's mounting losses and poor share performance, investor Stelios Haji-Ioannou said.

The combined $1.2 million awarded to Winter and FastJet's chief financial officer is "excessive" for a carrier that lost $79.1 million in its first full year and is worth only 26 million pounds ($44 million) after a 56 percent share price slump in 2014, the EasyJet Plc (EZJ) founder said today.
Stelios, who goes by his first name, said he was issuing a statement to shareholders on the day of London-based FastJet's annual meeting after taking a stake of more than 10 percent, but would on this occasion vote in favor of resolutions as a gesture of goodwill. The entrepreneur spent years castigating EasyJet's management on the U.K. airline's earnings, profit and dividend performance after relinquishing majority control.

"If the company fails to implement such changes to correct the current unsatisfactory situation with regards to losses and excessive executive pay, we will have no option but to vote against all resolutions at the next opportunity," he said today of FastJet, which commencing flying in November 2012.

Stelios said an independent auditor's report also shows that the company failed to make certain required disclosures on director pay, and that it should do so immediately.

‘Market Standards'

FastJet said in a statement that it's salary policy is determined by a remuneration committee and "is line with the market standards." Winter, CFO Angus Saunders and other senior managers also subscribed to about 1 million pounds of stock in a recent placing, amounting to a significant chunk of their pay.

The investor said he is still pleased with FastJet's progress in expanding from Tanzania into South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe in a bid to build a pan-African carrier, as well as with the restructuring of forerunner Fly 540 and a capital expansion that raised 15 million pounds from share sales.

FastJet had an average load factor of 72 percent in 2013, meaning its planes flew almost three-quarters full. Some 95 percent of planes are operating to schedule, allowing it to apply a standard revenue-management system for low-cost carriers which Winter says is key to turning a profit.

FastJet aims to carry 6 million passengers on 24 aircraft by 2018, with more flights on domestic services in Tanzania together with new routes to Kenya, Malawi and Uganda and possible bases in Kenya, South African and Zambia.

To contact the reporter on this story: Christopher Jasper in London at cjasper@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Benedikt Kammel at bkammel@bloomberg.net

Fastjet announces Entebbe launch for 16th September

Posted by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang H. Thome in Uncategorized. Leave a Comment
FASTJET CONFIRMS LAUNCH OF ENTEBBE FLIGHTS
(Posted 01st September 2014)

Fastjet, as previously indicated here, has now formally announced the launch of their 4th international destination out of Dar es Salaam and will commence flights to Entebbe from the 16th of September starting with initially two flights a week on Tuesday and Thursday. Two weeks after the inaugural Fastjet flight to Entebbe will departures be doubled on the 29th of September, bringing the number of services between Dar es Salaam and Entebbe to four, operating on traffic days 1, 3, 5 and 7, i.e. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.


The airline's other international routes presently are Johannesburg, Harare and Lusaka while the domestic airports served from their Dar es Salaam hub are Mwanza, leading with 25 flights per week, Kilimanjaro and Mbeya.

Fastjet will use one of their Airbus' A319's in an all economy configuration for the service and one way tickets will sell for US Dollars 50 plus taxes, a significant cost element when flying out of Entebbe. All other fees, for seat pre-selection, checked baggage and other services will apply as per terms and conditions of Fastjet in use in Tanzania at the time of going to press.

Commenting on the launch, Ed Winter, CEO and interim chairman of Fastjet was quoted to have said: 'We believe the launch of this route, the only direct air link between Uganda and Tanzania, will stimulate new business and tourism traffic in Uganda. Fastjet is delighted with this opportunity to enter the Ugandan market and the support it has received from the Ugandan government and authorities. We very much look forward to commencing flights and hope this is the beginning of a wider Fastjet network from Entebbe'.

There has subsequently been some speculation if, similar to Tanzania, where Fastjet is now an established airline, and Kenya, where Fastjet is in the process of setting up an operation, the airline may also set up a base in Uganda. However, from conversations with regular aviation pundits and sources thought close to the airline it was learned that they apparently prefer to obtain 5th freedom rights rather than setting up a separate airline. One source in particular attributed this reluctance to the UCAA having gone berserk in June, when, faced with being cited by ICAO over SSC's – short for Significant Safety Concerns – they axed all international flights by licensed Ugandan airlines to escape imminent action by ICAO. Upon further questions, on condition of anonymity, one source then reluctantly said: 'If a Tanzania based airline can get 5th freedom rights from Entebbe, why set up a base there. You wrote enough about how the UCAA misbehaved. Can you blame an airline for opting for 5th freedom rights rather than spending tens of millions of dollars to start another new airline when the regulators are so unpredictable? These guys have done more damage to the country's aviation sector and reputation than is acknowledged right now. This will hang over Uganda like a dark cloud for many years to come'.

Hence is a scenario emerging that Fastjet, after flights from Dar es Salaam to Entebbe have started, could be interested to eventually have an aircraft based in Uganda to operate 5th freedom flights to destinations presently underserved after the UCAA gutted Air Uganda and drove that airline to the wall. Interesting times ahead for sure and Entebbe will be one place to watch in coming months for upcoming breaking aviation news.

For additional information on Fastjet, their terms and conditions of bookings, schedules and fares, click on www.fastjet.com
http://wolfganghthome.wordpress.com/2014/09/01/fastjet-announces-entebbe-launch-for-16th-september/

MY TAKE
Opportunity for more Ugandan traders to continue to use the port of Dar es salaam as there is no direct connection between Kampala and Mombasa! Fastjet offers an affordable direct connection.

Precision Air to launch 2 local routes, shelve Comoros flights

A Precision Air plane. The airline will launch two local routes this week. PHOTO | FILE

IN SUMMARY

• The airline will launch direct flights between Dar es Salaam on one hand and Kigoma and Bukoba on the other and suspend its flights to the Comoros the same day

Dar es Salaam. Precision Air (PW) has announced to introduce two direct domestic flights and suspend one international route starting Wednesday this week.
The airline will launch direct flights between Dar es Salaam on one hand and Kigoma and Bukoba on the other and suspend its flights to Hahaya in Comoros the same day.

The company said at the weekend that the direct flights were in response to customers' outcry.

Precision Air, which is listed on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange, has been serving the two local destinations via Mwanza.

"We have done this in response to our customers' feedback and constant requests for direct flights," said Mr Elvis Ndomo, acting commercial director.
Kigoma will receive three flights a week on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays while Bukoba will be served four times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Meanwhile, the airline is temporarily suspending its Hahaya (Comoros) route effective Wednesday as it seeks to optimize its resources and deploy them on commercially viable routes.

Mr Ndomo said that operations on the route will resume as soon as conditions allow, adding that Precision Air remains committed to her goal of developing a regional route network focused on the East and Central Africa, including the Indian Ocean islands.


http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/Business/Precision-Air-to-launch-2-local-routes--shelve-Comoros-flights/-/1840414/2461344/-/view/printVersion/-/10w8neez/-/index.html

Tanzania-based low-costflyer links Entebbe

KARIBU: Passengers disembark from the inaugural flight which Fastjet plan to become twice weekly.

​

ENTEBBE, Uganda - Tanzania based low- cost airline, Fastjet, last week launched its services in Uganda writes PAUL TENTENA.

Fastjet, which launched its services in Tanzania about two years ago, has been in talks with the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to introduce flights to Uganda.It operates a fleet of distinctively branded Airbus A319s.

The Entebbe landing last week, was Fastjet's fourth international route after already having launched flights to Johannesburg, Lusaka and Harare. It is based at the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam.

"We hope to open up new routes to Juba (South Sudan), Mombasa and the Comoros Islands," Jai Gilbert, the Fastjet Head of Marketing at Entebbe Airport said at Entebbe International Airport.

Tom Wasswa, the CAA Chief Marketing and Commercial Manager, welcomed Fastjet to Uganda. He urged Ugandans who have not flown before, to take the opportunity of flying in an aircraft at such low fees.

Gilbert said they will initially operate two flights a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the first weeks of September. They will increase their flights to four a week after September 29th.

Ugandans will be able to fly to Dar es Salaam or connect to Johannesburg, Lusaka or Harare for as low as $50 (about Ush140,000) for a one way ticket but exclusive of airport and government taxes.

A flight to Dar will cost about Ush300,000 ($109), including taxes.

"With our market stimulating fares, starting from as low as Ush140,000 plus government taxes, Fastjet is confident that it will have a strong competitive advantage and that this new route will be a commercial success," Gilbert said.

She said Fastjet is the only existing direct air link between Tanzania and Uganda. This will help stimulate business and tourism traffic.

Since Air Uganda ceased flying in June, fares have risen sharply for regional routes. "Fastjet is delighted with this opportunity to enter the Ugandan market and the support it has received from the Ugandan government and authorities.

"We very much look forward to increasing flights and hope this is the beginning of a wider fastjet network from Entebbe,"Gilbert said.

By Paul Tentena, Sunday, September 21st, 2014

http://busiweek.com/index1.php?Ctp=2&pI=1895&pLv=3&srI=58&spI=24&cI=19

[h=2]FlyDubai announces flights to Tanzania as low fares rock the markets[/h]Posted by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang H. Thome in Uncategorized. Leave a Comment
EAST AFRICA – DUBAI AT 399 US DOLLARS – LET BATTLE COMMENCE
(Posted 24th September 2014)

FlyDubai is on the prowl it seems as only days before the launch of flights to Entebbe, Bujumbura and Kigali has the airline announced that they will also commence flights to Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar and Kilimanjaro. This latest development will substantially widen their network across Eastern Africa with 6 destinations coming on line in the space of less than three weeks. Starting from the 16th of October will the airline offer daily flights from Dubai to Dar es Salaam. Two flights each will then continue to Zanzibar and Kilimanjaro on Wednesdays and Sundays (ZNZ) and Monday and Friday (JRO) respectively.


The launch fares, valid for the first month of operation, are identical to those charged from Entebbe, Bujumbura and Kigali and start from 399 US Dollars return, all taxes included and one piece of checked baggage of 20 kilograms in Economy Class while the airline will charge 1.499 US Dollars return, all taxes included and a baggage allowance of 40 kilograms in Business Class. The news, when broken to a few regular sources in Tanzania yesterday, were met with outright excitement as the prospect of getting more tourists from the Gulf and from across FlyDubai's network to visit the beaches of Zanzibar and the national parks of the Tanzanian mainland is giving the destination a major marketing boost. Tanzanians will wake up in the morning to the breaking news and like in Uganda is a sudden shift to the new kid on the block expected by travelers going to Dubai at substantially reduced cost, leaving more spending money in the pockets.

Meanwhile has the arrival in Entebbe of low cost carriers started to show an impact on the travel patterns of Ugandans and when FlyDubai released their launch fare of 399 US Dollars return, all taxes and checked baggage included, for flights to the global glitter city, did it not take long for bookings to come in thick and fast.

The same feedback is coming in from Burundi and from Rwanda, the two other new destinations in East Africa FlyDubai will begin to serve this coming weekend, where similar fares have stirred a hitherto almost static travel market and shuffled the deck afresh.

'This is of course a launch fare and also comes with restrictions' commented a travel agent in Kampala before adding 'But it is a good indicator what is going to follow, and fares to Dubai, which remains a very popular destination with Ugandans, will never be the same again. This is a nonstop flight and given the cost, why should travelers now have to fly through other airports where they have to change planes and all that hassle. I don't think that it will affect Emirates that much because of their different flight product but the other airlines have to prepare for some big challenge ahead. I see a shift in the market coming quite fast because FlyDubai has a good reputation and new planes. Even flights to their other destinations in India or Eastern Europe will be quite cheap compared to other fares now in the market and travelers looking for good deals will for sure have a new best friend now'.

What is good news for travelers from East Africa will also be good news for visitors from the Gulf and beyond, which are presently connected to the FlyDubai network as coming to Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda and Tanzania will suddenly be much more affordable, hopefully boosting demand for safaris and beach vacations across the four countries' national parks, the shores of their lakes and of the Indian Ocean.

'I hope the tourist boards will work hand in hand with FlyDubai to tap into a new market segment and promote travel to East Africa in places like Russia and India and the Balkans. The high airfares have made visits to our part of the world for many a distant dream, but now, with low fares, suddenly many more potential visitors can afford to come here for a holiday' said a fellow scribe after sharing the news with him.

It is to be seen which of the four tourist boards will be fastest out of the blocks to discuss and then sign an MoU with FlyDubai to promote and market the East African region's wide range of tourist attractions.

Watch this space for breaking and regular aviation news from across Eastern Africa.

FlyDubai announces flights to Tanzania as low fares rock the markets | ATC News by Wolfgang H. Thome

Pasco said:

Mkuu Geza, we Tanzanians, have some serious problems with our national pride!. When ATCL was looking for a strategic partner, PW and KQ stretched its hands to bail it out!, it was refused!. When PW issued its IPO at DSE, GOT shun away!.
ATC needs something like TZS 150 billions to bail it our, but our GOT did nothing!, and its doing nothing as of now!. We have lots of ambitions projects, some of them are just white elephants!. We have set aside TZS 400 billions as "safety net project", for hard cash to be distributed to poor families that survives with less than a $ a day!.

We have failed to set our priorities such as that purchase of an obsolate military radar and gulf stream while leaving behind the national flag carrier to die a natural death!.

Tanzania has many more surprises than what met the eyes!.
Pasco.

Click to expand...

I will never shed a tear on ATCL. In fact I keep on wondering why it is not officially declared dead. ATCL is a project for or corrupt leaders in Tanzania. Nothing more. We can have PW as the national carrier. what is the problem there? Cathay Pacific is one of the best world airlines but it is privately owned. Who does not know that Cathay Pacific is the national carrier of Hong Kong?

[h=2]First two, now four and more to come – Fastjet flights from Dar to Entebbe double[/h]Posted by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang H. Thome in Uncategorized. Leave a Comment
FASTJET DOUBLES ENTEBBE FLIGHTS ON THE BACK OF IMPROVED HALF YEAR RESULTS
(Posted 30th September 2014)

Effective yesterday has Fastjet increased the number of flights between Dar es Salaam and Entebbe from the initial two to now four per week to meet steadily rising demand for nonstop travel between Uganda and Tanzania. Until the launch of Fastjet services did Ugandans have to travel via Nairobi or Kigali to reach Dar es Salaam, after the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, trying to evade ICAO citation for significant safety concerns of its operations, decapitated the country's aviation industry, leaving a glaring gap in flight connections to the detriment of the entire region.

The doubling of flights to Entebbe comes on the back of Fastjet releasing unaudited half year results, which in comparison with a year ago show some significant improvements.

Fleet utilization has since last year risen from 5.5 hours per day to 7.9 hours per day by the end of June, but more importantly, since the addition of flights to Harare and the increase in flights to Zambia, by the end of August reached 9.9 flight hours per day. The new route to Entebbe since September is bound to drive this figure into the double digit hour range for the three Airbus A319 presently on the fleet.

Revenues of the Tanzania operation, presently the only active part of the Fastjet network, nearly doubled during the period under review to 19 million US Dollars while passenger numbers from the half year ended in June 2013 to June 2014 rose by 41.5 percent, with notably revenues per passenger now standing at over 81 US Dollars.

Important for passengers is the 90 percent punctuality, meaning arrivals and departures are staying within 15 minutes of the published times, giving them a reliability few airlines in the region have accomplished so far.

A statement received from Fastjet, commenting on the half year results, shed further light on these figures and data: 'We are delighted to have seen a steady increase in the number of passengers travelling on core Tanzanian routes, with revenue growth of 96% against the same period last year. Strong underlying traffic growth in the first half of 2014 continues to demonstrate that Fastjet's low-cost airline model works in the African market. This growth in traffic underpins our belief that people across Africa are increasingly embracing the travel opportunities offered by Fastjet's safe, reliable, and great value product, with a high percentage of first time flyers.

Additional services from our Tanzanian base in Dar es Salaam to Lusaka, Harare and Entebbe, linking these land-locked countries to the port of Dar es Salaam, have proven successful and are performing well. Although these routes are in their infancy, there is every indication that these will develop into valuable routes for the Fastjet Tanzania pan-African network. Prior to these routes being launched there were no direct air services linking Dar es Salaam with either Harare or Entebbe.

During the period, we added additional revenue streams to the business mix including car rentals, hotels and car parking and early indications suggest that these services are proving popular with our customers. Fastjet continues on its path of expansion, leveraging our first mover advantage to the benefit of our customers and shareholders'.

All eyes are now on the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority to learn when Fastjet will not only be granted an Air Service License, a prerequisite to start the process towards attaining an Air Operator Certificate which permits the start of operations, but also about the long overdue decision to let Fastjet Tanzania fly into Nairobi. The long overdue approval for those flights have raised the spectrum that should Kenya not allow these flights, the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority may resort to retaliatory measures over the perceived violation of reciprocity requirements under the existing BASA, short for Bilateral Air Services Agreement.

Watch this space for breaking and regular aviation news from across the entire Eastern African region.

First two, now four and more to come – Fastjet flights from Dar to Entebbe double | ATC News by Wolfgang H. Thome

First two, now four and more to come – Fastjet flights from Dar to Entebbe double

Posted by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang H. Thome in Uncategorized. Leave a Comment
FASTJET DOUBLES ENTEBBE FLIGHTS ON THE BACK OF IMPROVED HALF YEAR RESULTS
(Posted 30th September 2014)

Effective yesterday has Fastjet increased the number of flights between Dar es Salaam and Entebbe from the initial two to now four per week to meet steadily rising demand for nonstop travel between Uganda and Tanzania. Until the launch of Fastjet services did Ugandans have to travel via Nairobi or Kigali to reach Dar es Salaam, after the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority, trying to evade ICAO citation for significant safety concerns of its operations, decapitated the country’s aviation industry, leaving a glaring gap in flight connections to the detriment of the entire region.

The doubling of flights to Entebbe comes on the back of Fastjet releasing unaudited half year results, which in comparison with a year ago show some significant improvements.

Fleet utilization has since last year risen from 5.5 hours per day to 7.9 hours per day by the end of June, but more importantly, since the addition of flights to Harare and the increase in flights to Zambia, by the end of August reached 9.9 flight hours per day. The new route to Entebbe since September is bound to drive this figure into the double digit hour range for the three Airbus A319 presently on the fleet.

Revenues of the Tanzania operation, presently the only active part of the Fastjet network, nearly doubled during the period under review to 19 million US Dollars while passenger numbers from the half year ended in June 2013 to June 2014 rose by 41.5 percent, with notably revenues per passenger now standing at over 81 US Dollars.

Important for passengers is the 90 percent punctuality, meaning arrivals and departures are staying within 15 minutes of the published times, giving them a reliability few airlines in the region have accomplished so far.

A statement received from Fastjet, commenting on the half year results, shed further light on these figures and data: ‘We are delighted to have seen a steady increase in the number of passengers travelling on core Tanzanian routes, with revenue growth of 96% against the same period last year. Strong underlying traffic growth in the first half of 2014 continues to demonstrate that Fastjet’s low-cost airline model works in the African market. This growth in traffic underpins our belief that people across Africa are increasingly embracing the travel opportunities offered by Fastjet’s safe, reliable, and great value product, with a high percentage of first time flyers.

Additional services from our Tanzanian base in Dar es Salaam to Lusaka, Harare and Entebbe, linking these land-locked countries to the port of Dar es Salaam, have proven successful and are performing well. Although these routes are in their infancy, there is every indication that these will develop into valuable routes for the Fastjet Tanzania pan-African network. Prior to these routes being launched there were no direct air services linking Dar es Salaam with either Harare or Entebbe.

During the period, we added additional revenue streams to the business mix including car rentals, hotels and car parking and early indications suggest that these services are proving popular with our customers. Fastjet continues on its path of expansion, leveraging our first mover advantage to the benefit of our customers and shareholders’.

All eyes are now on the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority to learn when Fastjet will not only be granted an Air Service License, a prerequisite to start the process towards attaining an Air Operator Certificate which permits the start of operations, but also about the long overdue decision to let Fastjet Tanzania fly into Nairobi. The long overdue approval for those flights have raised the spectrum that should Kenya not allow these flights, the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority may resort to retaliatory measures over the perceived violation of reciprocity requirements under the existing BASA, short for Bilateral Air Services Agreement.

Watch this space for breaking and regular aviation news from across the entire Eastern African region.

First two, now four and more to come – Fastjet flights from Dar to Entebbe double | ATC News by Wolfgang H. Thome

Print Back to story​

FastJet Is In Talks to Add 10 Airbus A319s by End of 2015

By Chris Jasper - Sep 29, 2014
FastJet Plc (FJET) said it's in talks about adding more Airbus Group NV (AIR) short-haul jets to the fleet as the discount carrier seeks to open bases in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Kenya next year while expanding operations in Tanzania.

FastJet, which currently operates three Airbus A319s, is negotiating with a number of leasing companies about aircraft availability in the next three to six months, with expansion plans calling for as many as 13 of the type by the end of 2015, Chief Executive Officer Ed Winter said today in an interview.

"People were skeptical about us putting A319s into Africa but they've worked well with good reliability and punctuality," he said. "We're getting close to saying these planes are full and I hope we're about to see an opportunity to really expand."

FastJet's strategy through the end of next year calls for seven A319s to be based in Tanzania, where operations began in 2012. The London-based carrier also envisages stationing three planes in Zambia, together with two in Zimbabwe, where Robert Mugabe's government has proved receptive to approaches, Winter said, while a sole aircraft could be located in Kenya.

FastJet shares traded 6.8 percent lower at 1.38 pence as of 11 a.m. in London after it posted an underlying first-half loss of $30.5 million, before interest and tax. The expansion needs funds beyond 15 million pounds ($24 million) raised in April, and Winter said talks are ongoing with African backers and that he'd also be receptive to a deal with an airline investor.

China Plane Deal

Discussions are under way about a more immediate plan to source two A319s from the leasing unit of Industrial & Commercial (1398) Bank of China Ltd., Winter said. The aircraft would replace planes due to be returned to Volito Aviation Services of Sweden, in which Goldman Sachs Inc. (GS) has a minority stake.

FastJet still aims to secure an air operating certificate for Zambia by the end of this year and could add international routes quickly there, Winter said. Talks in Kenya, which the airline once earmarked for its initial base, have been more drawn out, and local rules will require a year of domestic-only flying before foreign services can be added, he said.

The carrier's plans to establish the first pan-African discount network will continue to focus on East Africa for the foreseeable future, the CEO said, with the possibility of bases in Angola and Ghana, where it already holds AOCs, receding.

Bases could open in South Africa and Uganda in 2016, while by 2018 Winter sees a fleet of up to 34 jets, nine in South Africa, seven in Tanzania and Kenya, four in Uganda and Zimbabwe and three in Zambia. FastJet's first international route, Dar es Salaam-Johannesburg, began last October, and it has since added services from the Tanzania city to Lusaka, Harare and Entebbe.

Winter said talks have resumed on implementing a code-share deal with Dubai-based Emirates, the No. 1 international airline, for which Dar es Salaam is an expanding destination. Middle Eastern carriers are candidates to invest in FastJet, where EasyJet Plc (EZJ) founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou holds a 10 percent stake but has been critical of recent pay awards to executives.

The first-half loss included $13.9 million from Tanzania and $13.5 from the Angola and Ghana operations, now suspended. Tanzanian sales almost doubled to $19 million, with both the customer total and revenue per passenger up about 40 percent.

To contact the reporter on this story: Christopher Jasper in London at cjasper@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Benedikt Kammel at bkammel@bloomberg.net

FastJet Is In Talks to Add 10 Airbus A319s by End of 2015 - Bloomberg

Flydubai inaugurates flights to Tanzania in Africa expansion bid

Dubai-based budget airline flydubai has inaugurated two flights to Tanzania as part of its rapid expansion in East Africa. PHOTO | FILE | AFP

IN SUMMARY

• In 2014, the carrier added six new routes to the continent by launching flights to Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and three destinations in Tanzania.

Dubai-based budget airline flydubai has inaugurated two flights to Tanzania as part of its rapid expansion in East Africa. The new routes underline flydubai's rapid expansion in Africa which has seen the carrier's network double to 12 destinations this year.

Commenting on the start of flights to Tanzania, Ghaith Al Ghaith, chief executive of flydubai, said the United Arab Emirates had recognised the immense potential in the emerging markets of East Africa like Tanzania. He noted that airline would continue to work diligently to support travel, trade and tourism objectives by strengthening direct links between the UAE and African markets.

Flydubai entered the market in 2009 with flights to Djibouti, and in 2011 Addis Ababa became flydubai's second East African destination. In 2014, the low-cost carrier added six new routes to the continent by launching flights to Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and three destinations in Tanzania.

READ: Flydubai gets traffic rights to Entebbe and Bujumbura

"The pace of flydubai's expansion in East Africa has picked up. Six of the 23 new routes we have launched this year are to Africa. The potential we see for this market is just the tip of the iceberg as it is still a heavily underserved region. We are very excited about our new flights to Tanzania, which are going to be very popular for our passengers whether for leisure or business," commented Sudhir Sreedharan, the senior vice president of commercial at the the airline.

Tanzania has emerged as a noteworthy trade partner for Dubai recently and ranked among the major non-oil trade partners in Africa last year topping $1.86 billion in total annual trade, according to recent figures from the Dubai Chamber of Commerce.


READ: Fastjet, flyDubai scramble for growing aviation sector

Flydubai started operating its new Boeing 737-800 fleet configured with Business Class on its Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar flights from October 16, 2014, providing passengers between Tanzania and UAE with the option to connect onwards through Dubai's aviation hub.

In addition to its three routes in Tanzania, flydubai is building up a network in Africa with flights to Addis Ababa, Alexandria, Khartoum and Port Sudan, Djibouti, Juba as well as Bujumbura, Entebbe and Kigali.



Back to The East African: Flydubai inaugurates flights to Tanzania in Africa expansion bid
Flydubai inaugurates flights to Tanzania in Africa expansion bid - News - www.theeastafrican.co.ke

MY TAKE
Serious onslaught on KQ fly Dubai flies to Juba, Entebbe, Kigali, Djibouti and three routes at once i.e. Dar, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar! All these KQ was riping huge income but with this budget airline entrance i see a hard time in the near future. We should not forget Fastjet is also doing her thing! Emirates is now flying twice a day to Dar and word in street tell of their plan to start flying to KIA! Love this health competition.
waltham, hbuyosh, Yule-Msee, NairobiWalker, lawmaina78

EMIRATES AIRLINE TO START A SECOND SERVICE TO DAR ES SALAAM THIS OCTOBER

Posted about 11 hours ago by Corporate Digest

As Africa continues to realize its huge potential, Emirates has steadily increased its service provision through additional frequencies, enhanced ...​

​

Tim Clark- Emirates President


As Africa continues to realize its huge potential, Emirates has steadily increased its service provision through additional frequencies, enhanced capacity and new gateways.

Emirates will be able to connect even more people and cargo with Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, with the start of a second service to the East African coastal city from 26th October.

The new five times weekly service will complement Emirates' existing daily operation, and further boost inbound and outbound passenger traffic and cargo flows between Tanzania and Dubai, and Emirates' worldwide network.

"Dar es Salaam is an important destination in our East African network. In our last financial year we carried over 180,000 customers on the route, and we are expecting further growth with the introduction of the second service, which will offer our customers more choice and convenience. Dar es Salaam will now become the second destination in East Africa, after Nairobi, to have more than a daily frequency," said Khalid Al Zarouni, Emirates Country Manager for Tanzania.

Emirates started a twice weekly service between Dubai and Dar es Salaam linked with Nairobi on 28th October 1997 using an Airbus A310-300. Following steady growth and demand on the route over the years, the frequency and capacity was increased and the flight was delinked from Nairobi, becoming a daily non-stop service between Dubai and Dar es Salaam in 2006.

The airline currently operates 22 passenger and 6 dedicated freighter destinations to Africa.

The airline is also placing a strategic focus on Africa in the coming decade by increasing operations by over 40 percent, says Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline.

Speaking at the Africa Global Business Forum held in Dubai on 1 – 2 October, Clark said that Africa has been a great growth story for Emirates.

"Today, Emirates fleet investment in Africa tops $7 billion with operating costs of over $2 billion. We will add around 10 destinations in the next decade and will continue our investment and commitment to introduce more frequencies to our existing points to provide critical links to emerging markets from Asia, the Middle East and Australia," said Clark.

Clark noted that Africa is still an under-served market. "Emirates will continue to channel traffic through the Dubai hub which has already become a key gateway for the African continent," he said.

Statistics provided by Emirates indicate the airline has carried over 1.6 million passengers and 40,000 tons of cargo between Africa and China in the past five years. By 2020, Emirates expects to provide an additional 8.5 million seats to its African capacity.

In addition, there are over 500,000 African nationals now residing in Dubai. Over 800,000 Africans visited Dubai in 2013 alone and it is estimated that by 2020, tourism from Africa to Dubai will reach over 1.5 million visitors per year.

Emirates has steadily built up its presence on the continent since it launched flights to Cairo in 1986, which has contributed remarkable to the airlines strong growth. During the financial year 2010-2011, Africa contributed AED5.59 billion in revenue, which translates to 10.5 percent of the airline's total annual revenue and representing 17.7 percent growth over the previous year.

"Our long-term outlook for Africa is very positive. We believe several regions in the eastern, central, western, northern and southern Africa offer great potential for our passenger and cargo business. We also believe that ensuing political stability across Africa, government policies to promote air business, increasing trade with Asia, influx in foreign direct Investment, trade liberalization and continuing consumer demand for household goods as a result of a growing middle class will positively impact on our business in Africa in the future," he said.

In the past five years, Emirates carried over 1.6 million passengers and 40,000 tons of cargo between Africa and China, underscoring the vital trade relationship that the continent has with the east. By 2020, Emirates expects to provide an additional 8.5 million seats to its African capacity.

EMIRATES AIRLINE TO START A SECOND SERVICE TO DAR ES SALAAM THIS OCTOBER - Corporate Digest

Geza Ulole said:

Flydubai inaugurates flights to Tanzania in Africa expansion bid

Dubai-based budget airline flydubai has inaugurated two flights to Tanzania as part of its rapid expansion in East Africa. PHOTO | FILE | AFP

IN SUMMARY

• In 2014, the carrier added six new routes to the continent by launching flights to Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and three destinations in Tanzania.

Dubai-based budget airline flydubai has inaugurated two flights to Tanzania as part of its rapid expansion in East Africa. The new routes underline flydubai's rapid expansion in Africa which has seen the carrier's network double to 12 destinations this year.

Commenting on the start of flights to Tanzania, Ghaith Al Ghaith, chief executive of flydubai, said the United Arab Emirates had recognised the immense potential in the emerging markets of East Africa like Tanzania. He noted that airline would continue to work diligently to support travel, trade and tourism objectives by strengthening direct links between the UAE and African markets.

Flydubai entered the market in 2009 with flights to Djibouti, and in 2011 Addis Ababa became flydubai's second East African destination. In 2014, the low-cost carrier added six new routes to the continent by launching flights to Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and three destinations in Tanzania.

READ: Flydubai gets traffic rights to Entebbe and Bujumbura

"The pace of flydubai's expansion in East Africa has picked up. Six of the 23 new routes we have launched this year are to Africa. The potential we see for this market is just the tip of the iceberg as it is still a heavily underserved region. We are very excited about our new flights to Tanzania, which are going to be very popular for our passengers whether for leisure or business," commented Sudhir Sreedharan, the senior vice president of commercial at the the airline.

Tanzania has emerged as a noteworthy trade partner for Dubai recently and ranked among the major non-oil trade partners in Africa last year topping $1.86 billion in total annual trade, according to recent figures from the Dubai Chamber of Commerce.


READ: Fastjet, flyDubai scramble for growing aviation sector

Flydubai started operating its new Boeing 737-800 fleet configured with Business Class on its Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar flights from October 16, 2014, providing passengers between Tanzania and UAE with the option to connect onwards through Dubai's aviation hub.

In addition to its three routes in Tanzania, flydubai is building up a network in Africa with flights to Addis Ababa, Alexandria, Khartoum and Port Sudan, Djibouti, Juba as well as Bujumbura, Entebbe and Kigali.



Back to The East African: Flydubai inaugurates flights to Tanzania in Africa expansion bid
Flydubai inaugurates flights to Tanzania in Africa expansion bid - News - www.theeastafrican.co.ke

MY TAKE
Serious onslaught on KQ fly Dubai flies to Juba, Entebbe, Kigali, Djibouti and three routes at once i.e. Dar, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar! All these KQ was riping huge income but with this budget airline entrance i see a hard time in the near future. We should not forget Fastjet is also doing her thing! Emirates is now flying twice a day to Dar and word in street tell of their plan to start flying to KIA! Love this health competition.
waltham, hbuyosh, Yule-Msee, NairobiWalker, lawmaina78

Click to expand...

sitakoma campaign ya kuleta akili yako nyumbani huache na ndege za wales na england kwani airline ya nyumbani pride ya Tanzania ni ATCL.

Why we won't fly four routes: ATCL



Posted Friday, October 17 2014 at 12:02
In Summary

• The suspension follows a normal safety procedure which requires planes to undergo scheduled check-C maintenance

Dar es Salaam. Air Tanzania yesterday announced suspension of flights to four domestic destinations for six days as its aircraft goes for scheduled maintenance.

The airline is currently waiting for a leased CRJ-200 which is expected to jet into the country by next Tuesday to replace the bombardier aircraft which has been serving the domestic routes, according to a statement published yesterday.

The affected routes include Kigoma, Mwanza, Mtwara and Tabora.

Speaking to The Citizen over a phone interview, Air Tanzania managing director Milton Lazaro said that the suspension follows a normal safety procedure which requires planes to undergo scheduled check-C maintenance after certain flying hours.

"The arrival of the leased plane will see Air Tanzania immediately resuming to serve the affected domestic routes. So by Wednesday October 22 schedules of all domestic routes will resume as normal, " said Mr Lazaro.

The maintenance of the bombardier aircraft will be done in the country by experienced Air Tanzania engineers, the statement stated.

"Air Tanzania upholds the safety of its passengers and will do what it takes to ensure that its facilities meet and exceeds the required standards, a reason why it has taken its bombardier aircraft for a major checkup," read the statement.

"However, during this period our flight to Comoro will not be affected. Operations on this route will continue as per normal with onward connections to Anjouan and Moheri. The South African schedule, on which our passengers use interair services will go on as normal," read the statement.

Mr Lazaro said that the same bombardier plane will be used to ply to Comoro because it is a shorter distance.

According to the airline, passengers holding tickets on the affected flights will be refunded through Air Tanzania or travel agents depending on where the tickets were purchased or uplifted in other carriers.

Latest news

Inaugural flights to Tanzania

flydubai celebrates its rapid expansion in East Africa with two inaugural flights to Tanzania

23 October 2014
Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Dubai-based flydubai's inaugural flights to Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar touched down yesterday in Tanzania. The new routes further underline flydubai's rapid expansion in Africa, which has seen the carrier's network double to 12 destinations this year.

flydubai entered the market in 2009 with flights to Djibouti, and in 2011 Addis Ababa became flydubai's second East African destination. In 2014, flydubai added six new routes to the continent with the start of flights to Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and three destinations in Tanzania.

Commenting on the start of flights to Tanzania, Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer of flydubai, said: "The United Arab Emirates has recognised the immense potential in the emerging markets of East Africa, like Tanzania. We continue to work diligently to support the travel, trade and tourism objectives by strengthening the direct links between the UAE and these African markets."

The flydubai delegation led by Sudhir Sreedharan, Senior Vice President Commercial (GCC, Subcontinent and Africa), was met with inaugural events held at Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar airports on 22 October 2014. Among the senior officials who met the inaugural flights were HE Janet Z. Mbene (MP), Deputy Minister for Industry and Trade, HE Dr Omary Mjenga, Consul General to the UAE and HE Samia Hassan Suluhu, Minister of State.

"The pace of flydubai's expansion in East Africa has picked up. Six of the 23 new routes we have launched this year are to Africa. The potential we see for this market is just the tip of the iceberg as it is still a heavily underserved region. We are very excited about our new flights to Tanzania, which are going to be very popular for our passengers whether for leisure or business," commented Sreedharan.

Tanzania has emerged as a noteworthy trade partner for Dubai recently and ranked among the major non-oil trade partners in Africa last year topping USD 1.86 billion in total annual trade, according to recent figures from the Dubai Chamber of Commerce.

flydubai started operating its new Boeing 737-800 fleet configured with Business Class on its Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar flights from 16 October 2014, providing passengers between Tanzania and the UAE with a more convenient, high-quality and reliable service with the option to connect onwards through Dubai's aviation hub.

Ends​

In addition to its three routes in Tanzania, flydubai has built up a comprehensive network in Africa with flights to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, Alexandria in Egypt, Khartoum and Port Sudan in Sudan, Djibouti's capital Djibouti, Juba in South Sudan as well as Bujumbura in Burundi, Entebbe in Uganda and Kigali in Rwanda.

Flight Details:
Dar es Salaam
flydubai began operating daily flights between Dubai and Dar es Salaam on 16 October 2014.

FZ669/671/673 departs Dubai International Terminal 2 at 06:40hrs local time, arriving into Julius Nyerere International Airport at 11:20hrs local time.

FZ670 departs Julius Nyerere International Airport at 12:20hrs local time, landing at Dubai International Terminal 2 at 18:55hrs local time.

FZ672/674 departs Julius Nyerere International Airport at 18:20hrs local time, landing at Dubai International Terminal 2 at 01:00hrs local time.

Round trip fares

Economy Class return fares from Dubai to Dar es Salaam start at AED 999 including 40kg checked baggage, while Business Class return fares start at AED 7,500 and are inclusive of all taxes and 40kg checked baggage. These are special inaugural fares valid for one month.

Kilimanjaro via Dar es Salaam
flydubai began operating two flights a week between Dubai and Kilimanjaro via Dar es Salaam on 17 October 2014.

Mondays and Fridays: FZ673 departs Dubai International Terminal 2 at 06:40hrs local time, arriving into Kilimanjaro International Airport at 13:25hrs local time with a one-hour stopover in Dar es Salaam.

FZ674 departs Kilimanjaro International Airport at 16:10hrs local time, landing at Dubai International Terminal 2 at 01:00hrs local time with a one-hour stopover in Dar es Salaam.

Round trip fares
Economy Class return fares from Dubai to Kilimanjaro start at AED 999 including 50kg checked baggage, while Business Class return fares start at AED 7,500 and are inclusive of all taxes and 40kg checked baggage. These are special inaugural fares valid for one month.

Zanzibar via Dar es Salaam
flydubai began operating two flights a week between Dubai and Zanzibar via Dar es Salaam on 19 October 2014.

Wednesdays and Sundays: FZ671 departs Dubai International Terminal 2 at 06:40hrs local time, arriving into Zanzibar Airport at 13:05hrs local time with a one-hour stopover in Dar es Salaam.

FZ672 departs Zanzibar Airport at 15:40hrs local time, landing at Dubai International Terminal 2 at 01:00hrs local time with a one-hour stopover in Dar es Salaam.

Round trip fares
Economy Class return fares from Dubai to Zanzibar start at AED 999 including 50kg checked baggage, while Business Class return fares start at AED 7,500 and are inclusive of all taxes and 40kg checked baggage. These are special inaugural fares valid for one month.

Flights can be purchased starting today from flydubai's website (flydubai.com), its Contact Centre (+971) 600 54 44 45, flydubai travel shops or through travel partners. Further information and details of the carrier's car rental and travel insurance services can also be found on flydubai.com.

http://www.flydubai.com/en/news/art...frica-with-two-inaugural-flights-to-tanzania/

Kilimanjaro International Airport Welcomes flydubai

flydubai arrives at Kilimanjaro International Airport for the first time

Kilimanjaro, 17 October 2014: Dubai-based airline flydubai was welcomed at Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIA) today for the first time.

flydubai will operate two flights a week between Dubai and Kilimanjaro via Dar Es Salaam starting from today 17 October 2014.

FZ673 is scheduled to depart Dubai International Terminal 2 at 06:40hrs local time, arriving into Kilimanjaro International Airport at 13:25hrs local time with a one-hour stopover in Dar es Salaam.

FZ674 is scheduled to depart Kilimanjaro International Airport at 16:10hrs local time, landing at Dubai International Terminal 2 at 01:00hrs local time with a one-hour stopover in Dar es Salaam.

KADCO

In Dar




In Zanzibar









source: www.issamichuzi.blogspot.com

Fastjet lands on hugely popular online Chinese travel portal


By John HarringtonOctober 27 2014, 3:30pm


This deal represents the first digital distribution agreement in China for fastjetAfrican low-cost airline fastjet (LON:FJET) has signed a digital distribution agreement with Qunar.com, one of China's largest travel portals.

The portal attracts 75mln monthly visitors and 34mln mobile app users, so being on the site puts the airline firmly in the shop window in the People's Republic.

fastjet flights will be available to view on Qunar.com and click-through traffic will be referred to fastjet.com to convert.

The airline already has agreements with a number of travel agents specialising in ticket sales to the Chinese market, but Ellis Cain-Jones, head of Commercial at fastjet, said this deal represents a firm step to increase numbers and direct sales in a market where passenger traffic is realising significant year-on-year growth.

"The number of Chinese passengers flying into East Africa is already significant and offering fastjet fares and schedules to this growing market will only be positive for the airline," Cain-Jones said.

Shares in fastjet were trading at 0.95p in the afternoon session, down from 1p overnight.


Fastjet lands on hugely popular online Chinese travel portal - Proactiveinvestors (UK)

[h=2]New flights between Dubai and Tanzania open new doors to market the country[/h]Posted October 31, 2014 by Aviation, Tourism and Conservation news - DAILY from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands in Uncategorized. Leave a Comment
DAR TO DUBAI – 19 TIMES A WEEK
(Posted 31st October 2014)


When earlier this week Emirates upped their daily flights from Dubai to Dar es Salaam to twelve a week, it followed hot on the heels of the inaugural flight by 'cousins' flydubai, which also just commenced daily flights from Dubai to Dar es Salaam with extensions to Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar.

These latest developments increase the combined flights by the two Dubai based airlines from seven per week to 19, a massive increase in seat capacity by any standards and a mighty incentive to fill those seats, both ways.

Tourism operators have already started to work out how they can tap into the flydubai destination markets to bring visitors to the beaches of Zanzibar or into the safari parks of the northern circuit. On the other hand have traders and their associations seen opportunities to expand their own businesses not just to Dubai and the rest of the Gulf, but considering the low fares even beyond, into the destinations offered by the airline.

Meanwhile has Emirates itself gone into overdrive to sell and market their own capacity increase, which includes, besides the seats, also added cargo space.

'Dar es Salaam is an important destination in our east African network. In our last financial year we carried over 180 000 customers on the route and this second service is expected to further boost trade and tourism growth, and will also offer our customers more choice and convenience from Tanzania to Dubai and onward to Europe, the United States, India and the Fast East, as well as other destinations across Emirates extensive global network' said Khalid Al Zarouni, Emirates Country Manager for Tanzania before adding 'This second service also makes Dar es Salaam the second destination in East Africa, after Nairobi, to have more than a daily frequency'.

The new flight is operated with an Airbus A330-200 in a three class configuration with 12 seats in First Class, 42 in Business Class and 183 in Economy Class. This adds a total of 2370 seats and up to 170 tons of cargo capacity a week on the route.

The new Emirates flight service operates on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. It departs Dubai as EK727 at 16.55hrs and arrives in Dar es Salaam at 21.50hrs. The return flight EK728 departs Dar es Salaam at 23.30hrs and arrives in the Dubai the next morning at 06.20hr offering excellent connectivity both ways.

With the options now wide open to cooperate and partner with either the full service, award winning Emirates or else go the way of a low cost carrier like flydubai, the Tanzanian tourism industry will have a perfect platform to go out and promote their services and put packages together which can help to attract more inbound traffic not just from existing markets by especially from new and emerging markets served by both airlines.

New flights between Dubai and Tanzania open new doors to market the country | ATC News by Wolfgang H. Thome

[h=2]Fastjet set for more than 600.000 passengers this year[/h]Posted November 6, 2014 by Aviation, Tourism and Conservation news - DAILY from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands in Uncategorized. Leave a Comment
FASTJET JUST SHORT OF 60.000 PASSENGERS FOR OCTOBER
(Posted 06th November 2014)

Year on year did Fastjet’s traffic grow by 77 percent, when comparing October 2014 with October 2013, whith real numbers rising from last year’s 33.757 to 59.830. This translates into a loadfactor of 74 percent compared to the 70 percent loadfactor a year ago, but with substantially more routes of course.

Month ending	October 2014	October 2013	Change
Passengers Note 1	59,830	33,757	77%
Load Factor Note 2	74%	70%	+4pp
Rolling 12 months ending	October 2014	October 2013	Change
Passengers Note 1	539,205	326,135	65%

Notes:
1. "Passengers" are sold seats flown, excluding infants. Fastjet bookings are generally non-refundable.

2. "Load Factor" is the number of ‘passengers" as a percentage of the number of available seats flown.

3. "on time" - arrival earlier than or within 15 minutes of schedule

Fastjet’s CEO Ed Winter, when presenting these figures earlier in the week, had this to say: ‘I am delighted to see such strong total passenger numbers and high load factor for what is traditionally a low travel month. Passenger numbers grew month on month as we added additional flights to Entebbe and recorded strong passenger increases on our flights to Harare’.

According to Fastjet’s PSA in Uganda, Simba Travelcare, have the now four flights a week between Entebbe and Dar es Salaam been taken up well by the market with many passengers relieved to have once again nonstop flights between the two airports. For more details about Fastjet’s schedules, destinations, fares and special deals click on www.fastjet.com

Fastjet set for more than 600.000 passengers this year | ATC News by Wolfgang H. Thome

Fastjet Moves Closer To Zambia Base, Adds African Investors


LONDON (Alliance News) - Fastjet PLC Friday said that its Zambian operation has received an air ...

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Alliance News | 14 November, 2014 | 10:13AM



LONDON (Alliance News) - Fastjet PLC Friday said that its Zambian operation has received an air service permit from the authorities in the country, moving it a step closer to launching operations there, while it also got permission to operate flights from Uganda to Juba, Nairobi, Kigali and Johannesburg using Tanzania-based aircraft.

The company also did a shares deal in Tanzania that gives it a small Tanzanian investor base, a move that should assist it with its expansion plans as some African authorities want to see evidence of African ownership participation.

In a statement, the low-cost African airline backed by easyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou, said the permit approval gives it authority to operate domestic and international flights within and from Zambia.

"The fastjet Zambia team is now focused on continuing the submission of the necessary documents and manuals to complete the application process for an Air Operating Certificate which will then allow the commencement of operations," it said in a statement.
Fastjet is based in Tanzania. It was founded when Rubicon Diversified Investments bought Fly540, which flew in Kenya, Ghana and Angola, from Lohnro in a reverse takeover in 2012. It started its own operations in Tanzania after that, and is gradually expanding into other African countries while suspending or selling the legacy Fly540 operations.

Its sold loss-making Fly540 Kenya to a director of that airline for a nominal fee, and has suspended the remaining Fly540 operations out of Ghana and Angola.

Meanwhile, it started expanding the fastjet operation by adding international flights out of Tanzania to its original domestic flights there. It started flying between Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and Johannesburg in South Africa, and then between Dar es Salaam and Lusaka in Zambia. It also signed a partnership with Lusaka-based regional airline Proflight Zambia, enabling passengers to travel between the destinations offered by the carriers.

In August, it started flying on a third international route between Dar es Salaam and Harare in Zimbawe, and in the same month incorporated its own company in Kenya with a target of starting a fastjet base there. The following month it launched its fourth international route out of Tanzania, between Dar es Salaam and Entebbe in Uganda.

Its passenger numbers have been increasing each month thanks to the new routes, and it has also added new ticketing partners like Expedia and Chinese travel website Qunar.com. It has been narrowing its losses by cutting costs thanks to the sale or suspension of the Fly540 operations.

Zambia would become fastjet's second base after Tanzania, and it plans to operate low-cost flights to various destinations in East and Southern Africa from there. It said prices on regional routes from Zambia are currently very high, especially where a monopoly operator controls the route, and it's confident its low-cost model can stimulate the market.

"Timescales before the first flight will be dependent on the time taken for the authorities to review the Air Operating Certificate application documents. We look forward to going on sale and commencing operations in Zambia once that process has been completed," Chairman and Chief Executive Ed Winter said.

The airline also said it has received permission from the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority to operate flights from Uganda to Juba, Nairobi, Kigali and Johannesburg under "5th Freedom" rights using Tanzanian-based aircraft. It now just needs approval from authorities in the destination countries before it can start flying to those cities from Entebbe.

"Since Air Uganda ceased flying, the fares offered by other carriers for flights linking Uganda regionally have risen steadily. With fares, starting from as low as USD50 plus government taxes, fastjet is confident that it will attract considerable customer support," it said.

5th Freedom, which is also sometimes referred to as "beyond rights", is the right of an airline from one country to land in a second country, to then pick up passengers and fly on to a third country where the passengers then deplane, according to the International Air Transport Association definition.

Fastjet also said Friday that it has signed a deal with Enterprise Growth Market Advisors Ltd that will allow it to sell an interest in fastjet Tanzania to Tanzanian investors, a move that should allow it to further expand to more African destinations, particularly those who require evidence of African ownership participation.

As part of that deal, fastjet Tanzania has issued 835 shares in its share capital to fastjet International Ltd, a company incorporated in Tanzania and owned by four Tanzanian nationals - Ami Mpungwe, George Carmichael Theobald, John Corse and Sophia Rwegellera. fastjet Tanzania also issued a further 17 shares in fastjet Tanzania to each of Ami Mpungwe and Lawrence Masha, the two Tanzanian non-executive directors of fastjet Tanzania.

Under the terms of the arrangement, the Tanzanian shareholders have agreed to sell their interest in fastjet International Ltd and/or fastjet Tanzania to subsequent Tanzanian investors at a price and on terms as specified by fastjet PLC.

The parent company will start looking for suitable long term Tanzanian shareholders "with the aim of fulfilling fastjet's ambition of having airline companies in strategic African jurisdictions which are part owned by nationals of the countries in which they are based to help in creating a truly pan-African airline".

"This is a positive and logical step in the implementation of our model of local investment and local finance for growth, and will aid in fastjet Tanzania being granted additional rights under Bilateral Air Service Agreements with other African countries on the continent," Winter said.

Fastjet also reiterated that it will need further funding until it becomes profitable and will need more funds for each significant phase of its expansion in Zambia and Uganda.

"The board is in discussions with a number of potential funders, including industry partners and specialist African investors, with a view to investment both at the group level and at the individual operating company level. The company is aiming to complete this necessary funding by early in the New Year," it said.

The airline raised GBP14.9 million in a share placing and open offer earlier in the year with Stelios' easyGroup IP Licensing Ltd agreeing to invest GBP1 million in the placing.

Fastjet shares were up 3.5% at 0.750 pence in London Friday morning.

By Steve McGrath; stevemcgrath@alliancenews.com; stevemcgrath1


Copyright 2014 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.

Fastjet Moves Closer To Zambia Base, Adds African... | Morningstar

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