Fastjet moves launch date for low cost flights
Fastjet says it will charge as low as as Sh1700 ($20) to fly from one point to another in Tanzania before replicating it later into the East African region and the rest of the continent. PHOTO / COURTESY
European budget carrier, Fastjet, will start selling its first tickets next week but has pushed its inaugural flight to late November.
The low cost carrier, which was expected to begin its operations on November 1 in Tanzania, said on Monday that it had completed its rebranding exercise.
The new brand features a grey parrot, a new website and a slogan, smart travel.
“We are excited that the launch is now imminent and that fastjet will be turning from a concept into a reality,” fastjet Chairman David Lenigas said in a statement.
The airline says it will charge as low as as Sh1700 ($20) to fly from one point to another in Tanzania before replicating it later into the East African region and the rest of the continent. FastJet is yet to fix the date it will start operations in Kenya.
However, passengers will be required to book in advance to enjoy the bargain fare and will also foot the airport tax bill which is currently $40 for international flights and Sh500 for domestic routes. This means that the total cost will be at least Sh5,100 inclusive of taxes in Kenya.
The tickets will become more expensive as the day of the flight nears with those who book just hours to the flight being charged much more expensively.
FastJet Plc, through its parent company, Rubicon, recently bought a 49 per cent stake in Fly540. It will be using Fly540’s licences to gain access to Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana and Angola.
Customers will pay for extras like luggage and food.
“The airline now has three Airbus A319s as part of its fleet. All three aircraft are in the process of being painted with the fastjet livery before being dispatched to Tanzania ready for the launch,” the statement said in part.
Fastjet is expected to change the landscape of l budget carriers in the region and it is expected to intensify competition with Kenya Airways, which has regrouped and assembled a team that will fly its subsidiary JamboJet into the low cost business, and other budget carriers such as Jet Link, its partner Fly540, and Air Kenya.
It is also expected to wrestle the control of the regional routes from other established carriers including Air Uganda and Precision Air.
Information on its route network and fare schedules will be made public from next week on its website.
“The site will soon allow tickets to be bought using credit or debit cards as well as mobile phone technology that debit the users phone accounts. Additionally, tickets will be sold through travel agents and fastjet’s own sales desk, call centre and offices throughout East Africa. Tickets will be available from as low as $20 one-way excluding taxes and charges,” the statement said.
