Fastjet ready to take-off in Tanzania

FastJet Plc is the holding company for African airline Fly540, which operates from four bases in Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana and Angola. Fly540 currently has 10 aircraft serving around 25 domestic and regional destinations, carrying approximately 750,000 passengers per year with a strong emphasis on safety, security and reliability.

The first aeroplane in Fastjet (LON:FJET) livery took to the skies at an aerospace industry event in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday.

The Fastjet Airbus A319 was watched by company executives, government officials and aviation experts as it was put through its paces.

The African no-frills airline is to commence flight operations in Tanzania on Thursday of this week.

“Today is an incredibly exciting day not just for Fastjet, but for Tanzania and Africa as a whole," claimed Fastjet chief executive, Ed Winter.

Winter, who was chief operating officer at UK low-cost operator easyJet (LON:EZJ), added: "For years, the African aviation‐market has been significantly underserved, lagging a very long way behind the rest of the world. GDP growth is fuelling a real increase in disposable incomes and consumer spending and although this is accompanied with a growing demand for travel, the African people just haven’t had a reliable and affordable air travel option available to them. Fastjet will now serve to fill that gap and we look forward to bringing the people of Tanzania and indeed the whole continent the first pan African low cost, point‐to‐point, all jet airline, operating to international standards of safety and quality.”

Fastjet will operate flights twice a day on its first two routes: Dar es Salaam to Kilimanjaro and Dar es Salaam to Mwanza.

Tickets went on sale two weeks ago and Fastjet said ticket demand has outstripped initial expectations.

Fastjet operates under a brand licence agreement with easyGroup Holdings and Sir Stelios Haji‐Ioannou, the founder of easyJet.

Commenting on the launch, Haji‐Ioannou said: “Now it’s Africa’s turn! I am delighted to have played a small part in starting yet another revolution. I wish everyone involved happy landings.”

Fastjet also revealed it has signed an exclusive partnership agreement with Swissport, which will provide ground services throughout the airline’s network.