Fastjet still awaits clearance for Nairobi flights as results again improve

[Geza Ulole]

Why does this Civil Aviation Authority try to keep a low cost airline out of its skies?

Posted April 21, 2015 by Aviation, Tourism and Conservation news - DAILY from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands in Uncategorized. Leave a Comment


NO AIRSERVICE LICENCE FOR FASTJET TO SET UP KENYAN OPERATION, YET
(Posted 21St April 2015)
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The Kenya Gazette Notice 2581 of last Friday, 17th of April, informing the general public of decision taken by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority during their last licensing hearing, brought out some intriguing insights. It was learned that the pending application by Fastjet to set up a low cost airline in Kenya has again not been dealt with. This leaves the fate of the application mired in clouds of suspicion and allegations as the authority at a hearing last year deferred a decision on this applications. It followed objections from a number of airlines either already flying, or others which for all intent and purpose are defunct but have kept their Air Service Licenses current.


It is now all but clear that the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority has been turned into a Berlin Wall by local airlines which are intent to keep competition out of the Kenyan skies, competition which would bring the cost of air transport down considerably, going by the low end fares of US Dollars 20 per sector Fastjet charges on its Tanzanian domestic routes (Plus Taxes and Regulatory Fees).


This lack of a conclusive decision for Fastjet’s Kenyan ASL however is not directly linked to the airline’s Tanzanian company’s application for landing rights for flights from Dar es Salaam to Nairobi. This too has been kept in the bottom drawers of the KCAA bureaucrazies, pun fully intended, for now almost a year. The lack of approval for what the Tanzanian CAA has clearly stated is a duly registered Tanzanian airline, designated for the route and meeting all criteria as far as ownership is concerned, led to a short lived and sharpish tit for tat by the TCAA when it curtailed flights by Kenyan airlines into Tanzania by nearly 60 percent, before a Head of State intervention agreed to restore air services – and in a related development also access by Tanzanian tour vehicles to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. This however is subject to a negotiated settlement of this and other contentious issues between the two EAC countries which has bedeviled bilateral relations and impacted on the tourism and aviation sectors of both countries. TCAA sources, still smarting from the arrogant treatment dished out to them at the ICAN meeting last year in Bali, when they met their Kenyan counterparts, have all but confirmed that should Kenya continue to withhold landing rights for Fastjet Tanzania, they would revert to flight bans and even carry out regular ramp checks on Kenyan registered aircraft landing in Tanzania as punitive measures. Such would then continue until as one source said verbatim but on condition of anonymity: ‘… our airline gets permission to fly to Nairobi no matter of the consequences. Aviation is based on reciprocity which we have not received. It is also based on us confirming ownership status and the continued questioning of our decision by the Kenyan CAA amounts to declaring us unfit to do our job. This is nothing but levelling the playing field which until now was very uneven’.


In a related development it was also learned that defunct Jetlink, which folded some years ago over the refusal by the South Sudanese Central Bank to let them repatriate over 2.5 million US Dollars’ worth of ticket sales, was granted a one year renewal of their Air Service License. Jetlink had severally tried to get into the air again but has hit multiple obstacles until now and got a year left under the license renewals to make it or break it. Only one application for a variation of a license was refused while all other 22 applicants received a thumbs up. Notably was Jubba Airlines which parent company is based in Djibouti, granted a license to fly to from Nairobi to Entebbe, among other destinations. This has led to prompt questions from Uganda aviation circles how Kenya could ‘stuff ‘the skies between their two countries with airlines bearing a 5Y registration while mistreating companies like RwandAir which is flying under Ugandan fifth freedom rights between Entebbe and Nairobi and was slapped with a capacity cap when flights commences at the end of January this year.


There are certainly interesting days ahead as the bilateral meeting is coming closer and the outcome will be reported here just as soon and the decisions have been taken.

https://wolfganghthome.wordpress.co...-to-keep-a-low-cost-airline-out-of-its-skies/

 

[Geza Ulole]

Fastjet consolidates and places shares
Written by Mary-Anne Baldwin Wednesday, 22 April 2015 00:35


Fastjet has approved a share consolidation and placing.



The new ordinary shares are expected to trade on 21 April 2015. The company will have 16,422,096 ordinary shares of £1 each in issue.


Furthermore, the company will allot and issue shares and dis-apply pre-emption rights for the purposes of the proposed placing of 50,000,000 new ordinary shares.


Following the placing, the company will have 66,422,096 ordinary shares of £1 each in issue.


Clive Carver, non-executive chairman of fastjet, commented: "Approval of this placing provides management with the firm capital base required to move on to the next phase of growth, expanding the fastjet low-cost network through East and Southern Africa. We are very encouraged by the confidence in fastjet shown by our current and new shareholders."

Fastjet consolidates and places shares - Airline Fleet Management

 

[Geza Ulole]

Jambojet increases Kisumu and Ukunda flights, charters additional Q400 aircraft

The airline has flown 500,000 passengers since its inception a year ago. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• The airline has flown 500,000 passengers since its inception a year ago.

Kenyan carrier Jambojet has increased flights to Kisumu City and Ukunda, Diani, in a move aimed at expanding its operations in the domestic market.


The Kenya Airways low cost carrier will now fly twice to Kisumu on Sunday and three times on Thursday and Friday, bringing the total number of flights to the lakeside city to sixteen per week. It will also fly twice daily to Ukunda along the coast.


"We will introduce a second frequency to Kisumu on Sundays and a third daily frequency to Kisumu on Thursday and Friday bringing the total number of frequencies to Kisumu to sixteen per week compared to thirteen previously. As from coming Saturday (April 25), we will introduce a second daily frequency to Ukunda."


The airline's CEO, Willem Hondius, said that Jambojet has chartered an additional Bombardier Q400 aircraft to service the Kisumu and Eldoret routes.


"All flights on the Kisumu and Eldoret routes will be serviced by the Q400 which we have chartered from DAC Aviation," he said.


Last month, Jambojet launched flights to Lamu, Malindi and Ukunda bringing to seven the number of destinations it flies to. The others include Nairobi, Kisumu, Eldoret and Mombasa.


The airline has flown 500,000 passengers since its inception a year ago.


It is targeting the growing domestic travel market comprising tourists, traders, investors, government workers and employees of local and international aid agencies to cement its position in Kenya's nascent low cost airline market.


The Bombardier Q400 turboprop aircraft is capable of operating on shorter runways and performs like a jet aircraft in terms of speed and comfort.


The airline operates Q400 aircraft on all its routes and also operates two Boeing 737 planes in its fleet.

Jambojet increases Kisumu and Ukunda flights, charters additional Q400 aircraft - Corporate News - businessdailyafrica.com

Thought there are 4 flights daily between Nrb and Kisumu :A S-baby:

 

[MK254]

This online activism won't help Fastjet further, they need to hold back and wait. They are just wasting money.

 

[Geza Ulole]

This online activism won't help Fastjet further, they need to hold back and wait. They are just wasting money.

ohoo boaay Jambojet is another loss making machine...thought Kenyans have money to fly! :mod:

 

[Bagamoyo]

May 5, 2015

Open skies for Africa – Implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision

This case study aims to show the recent developments in the air transport sector in Africa. It focuses on the implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision the objectives of the decision are full-liberalization of the intra-African air transport market, free exercise of first, second, third, fourth and fifth freedom rights for passenger and freight air services by eligible airlines; ensure fair competition on a non-discriminatory basis; compliance with international safety standards. The case study explains why the policy was necessary, the goals and its impact. Furthermore it provides policy recommendations. More Info: Source: Open skies for Africa – Implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision | Freight Transport for Development

N.B yamoussoukro decision signatories : Air Transport - Open Skies for Africa

Nairobi, Kenya

Kenya can add Sh7b to economy annually by opening her airspace


International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates that opening up airspace could result in about 16,000 jobs being created and a staggering Sh7 billion added to overall Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
"Kenya is likely to expand its labour market by creating 15,900 more jobs, boost GDP by Sh7 billion while 406,000 passengers will be increased to its routes," it says in a report titled "Transforming Intra-African Air Connectivity: The Economic Benefits of Implementing the Yamoussoukro Decision."
The liberalisation subject will be part of the main agenda of untapped market's significant opportunities to be discussed during a two day-meeting - Aviation Africa 2015 - to be graced by world's leading airlines, ministers and authorities later this week in Dubai.


To try and achieve the goal of open African skies, a pact was made in 2000 between 44 countries, known as the Yamoussoukro Decision. The decision was intended to allow a more liberal airspace arrangement, but to date it has still not been formally implemented.
Individual countries have run into difficulties transferring the Decision into their own domestic legislation, which has stalled the process – much to the frustration of African businesses.
According to Alan Peaford, the Dubai event organiser and summit Chairman the May 10 to 11, 2015 meeting will underscore the immense potential of the African aviation market. Source: Standard Digital News : : Business - Kenya can add Sh7b to economy annually by opening her airspace

 

[Geza Ulole]

Fastjet sets new monthly passenger record, negotiations underway for more planes

By Jamie Ashcroft

May 06 2015, 8:02am

Fastjet chief executive Ed Winter told investors that the company is now close to needing extra capacity and it is now in negotiations to secure additional aircraft.

Budget African airline Fastjet (LON:FJET) has today revealed another record breaking month, with 68,088 passengers carried by the group's Tanzania operations in the month of April.

April saw 2,500 more passengers than the previous monthly record, set in December 2014, and it represents around 90% growth compared to April 2014.

The airline achieved a load factor of 73% for the month, which is up 7% on last year's comparative, and punctuality stats also remained high with 92% of flights arriving on time. Capacity was up 15% month-on-month.

Fastjet chief executive Ed Winter told investors that the company is now close to needing extra capacity and it is now in negotiations to secure additional aircraft.

"April was yet another record-breaking month for Fastjet and continues our recent trend of reporting significant year-on-year growth in passenger numbers," Winter said.

"Carrying over 68,000 passengers is a considerable achievement and is testament to our position in the Tanzanian market, the attractiveness of our low-cost fare structure and operational reputation.

Winter added: "With the recent fund raise and subsequent shareholder support demonstrated at our General Meeting,Fastjet is in a strong position to deliver significant growth."

Early last month Fastjet raised £50mln from new and existing investors as it expands its network across the continent. The share issue, at 1p per share, more than tripled Fastjet's market value.

Winter, at the time, described the funding as a "transformative step" towards Fastjet's goal of building Africa's most successful pan-continental low-cost airline.

Fastjet sets new monthly passenger record, negotiations underway for more planes - Proactiveinvestors (UK)

 

[Geza Ulole]

[h=2]One year down the line it is mixed fortunes for Jambojet[/h]Posted April 10, 2015 by Aviation, Tourism and Conservation news - DAILY from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands in Uncategorized. Leave a Comment
JAMBOJET CAPTURES 30 PERCENT OF DOMESTIC MARKET IN FIRST YEAR OF OPERATIONS
(Posted 10th April 2015)


When Jambojet launched their flights on April 01st last year, did the airline announce ambitious targets for their first year of operations. Fully owned by Kenya Airways is Jambojet a successor of the former Flamingo Airways, which was KQ’s first attempt to launch a domestic low cost airline. When the concept failed, many say it was too early to have the Kenyan market shift to online bookings at the time, was the operation absorbed by Kenya Airways and Flamingo made dormant in 2004.

No doubt was the re-launch of an LCC timely, more so as the web use by Kenyans had over the past 11 years grown in leaps and bounds and the availability of multiple safe payment platforms now allows for bookings to be process from a smart phone and the ticket paid for my mobile money.

In fact did Willem Hondius, CEO of Jambojet, confirm that some 53 percent of all the bookings made by passengers for Jambojet flights are done on the net, a trend expected to increase over coming years.

The passenger target announced prior to the airline’s launch just over a year ago was then set at 600.000 passengers but after the first 12 months of operations did Jambojet clock just under half a million passengers on the routes from Nairobi to Mombasa, Eldoret and Kisumu. No financial results however are available so soon after the end of the first year of operations though analysts expect the airline to post a bottom line loss, in part caused by the transfer of former Flamingo Airways liabilities from Kenya Airways to Jambojet when the airline was launched.

Two weeks ago did Jambojet also launch three more new domestic destinations and now serves Lamu and Malindi as well as Ukunda with a leased Bombardier Turboprop Q 400NextGen after departing from the single model aircraft strategy which ordinarily keeps the cost low. However, business opportunities for the three new destinations at the Kenya coast are thought to have prompted this decision to use an aircraft which could land at those shorter runway airports and aerodromes.

While the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority has designated Jambojet for regional routes to, among other destinations, Entebbe, Dar es Salaam, Kigali and Juba has the airline yet to launch flights beyond Kenya’s borders, something expected to take some more time in the absence of enough aircraft on the fleet and the reluctance of regional countries to grant landing rights unless Kenya’s Civil Aviation Authority finally reciprocates. Watch this space for breaking and regular aviation news from across Eastern Africa.


https://wolfganghthome.wordpress.co...n-the-line-it-is-mixed-fortunes-for-jambojet/

 

[connections]

Wakenya wabinafsi mno wanataka kuruka/kutua dar, kigali lakini fastjet na rwandair wasitumie jomo kenyatta (enroute) kwenda destination nyingine

 

[MK254]

Wakenya wabinafsi mno wanataka kuruka/kutua dar, kigali lakini fastjet na rwandair wasitumie jomo kenyatta (enroute) kwenda destination nyingine

Na sio ubinafsi tu, pia tunawapiga hadi na vikumbo na mtakoma nyie.

 

[Geza Ulole]

[h=2]What is the real reason for Jambojet's reduction of coast flights[/h]Posted June 19, 2015 by Aviation, Tourism and Conservation news - DAILY from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands in Uncategorized. Leave a Comment
COMPETITORS DISMISS JAMBOJET'S REASONING FOR REDUCING FLIGHTS TO THE COAST
(Posted 19th June 2015)


'This is complete bull' ranted a regular aviation source from Nairobi when asked to comment on reports that Jambojet had cited issues with the runways in Lamu and in Ukunda as the primary reason for cutting back on flights. 'They simply overreached. Going daily to Malindi when Kenya Airways just upped flights to twice a day was at best uncoordinated and at worst a complete misjudgement of the traffic potential at this time between Nairobi and Malindi' did the source then add while another waded into the fray by suggesting: 'There are others which fly to Lamu and to Ukunda using a Dash – 8 or an ATR even. I think the truth is that they want to use their leased Q400 to now fly Eldoret and Kisumu and simply do not have the capacity to fly twice a day to Ukunda or daily to Malindi or daily to Lamu. They were maybe too optimistic in their traffic projections and now pay the price and eat humblepie. This is simple a matter of competitions taking its toll'.

It was reported here some time ago that the airline had cut back flights to Lamu from 7 per week to only three per week, operating only on Friday, Sunday and Monday. The development had not been picked up by the Kenya mainstream media until now. At the time did some sources speak of not yet enough traffic generated by the upcoming LAPSSET project, which, besides constructing a new deep sea port, also includes a railway, pipeline and highway from Lamu to the north of Kenya before branching off to South Sudan and Ethiopia.

In addition were international tourist numbers still low while locals mostly travel for long weekends and during the children's school holidays but not as much outside these time frames.

https://wolfganghthome.wordpress.co...son-for-jambojets-reduction-of-coast-flights/

 

[Geza Ulole]

Jambojet cuts flights to Coast over airports

Mr Willem Hondius, the Jambojet chief executive officer. PHOTO | FILE

IN SUMMARY

• Jambojet has also cut Malindi flights from once every day to five times a week.

Kenya Airways' budget airline Jambojet has cut back some of its flights to Lamu, Malindi and Ukunda barely two months after their introduction, citing delays in expansion of the affected airports.

The airline, which launched the three coastal routes in mid-March, says it has reduced its flights to Lamu from daily to three times a week (Monday, Friday and Sunday) while it now flies eight times a week to Ukunda down from twice a day.

The carrier has also cut Malindi flights from once every day to five times a week.

Jambojet attributed the cutbacks to delays of runway extension works at Manda Airstrip in Lamu and upgrading of the turning point at the Ukunda Airport.

"Due to delays in construction work, Jambojet suspended a number of flights to both Lamu and Ukunda in May and June," said Willem Hondius, Jambojet's chief executive officer.

"The runway length extension in Lamu should have been ready by the end of April; the runway aircraft turning point at Ukunda Airport ought to have been ready early May."

The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) started the expansion works at Manda Airstrip in 2011, a Sh1 billion project that involved building a new terminal, a two-kilometre runway, a fire station and water supply to allow landing of bigger planes.

READ: Jambojet starts Lamu, Malindi, Ukunda flights

Five years down the line, the work is yet to be completed despite several assurances by the authority.

In 2014, the airstrip handled 3,497 flight operations (1,748 takeoffs and 1,749 landings) while 36,476 passengers used the facility. Extension of the turning point at the Ukunda Airport was meant to improve services as a stop-gap measure as KAA finalised plans to extend the runway from 1.1 kilometres to 1.6 kilometres.

KAA intends to fence the airstrip and embark on construction of a terminal building.

"If the runways are not ready in time, this might further affect our operations," said Mr Hondius.

Jambojet launched new routes from JKIA to Lamu, Malindi and Ukunda on March 28, in a move that was expected to breathe new life into the hard-hit tourism sector at the coast.

These new routes saw the number of destinations served by the budget airline increase to seven with the old routes being Nairobi, Mombasa, Eldoret and Kisumu.

One-way fares from Nairobi to Lamu start at Sh5,950, Nairobi to Malindi Sh4,950 and Nairobi to Ukunda Sh4,950, including taxes.

The airline also operates short flights connecting Lamu and Malindi at Sh2,950. To keep its fares low, the carrier offers no frills on flights. It charges extra for seats with more leg room, check-in luggage as well as refreshments.

http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate-News/Jambojet-cuts-flights-to-Coast-over-airports/-/539550/2757100/-/view/printVersion/-/ksvl8/-/index.html

 

[NairobiWalker]

Geza Ulole How come you ain't informing us of the $47.6 million loss that Fast Jet made?

 

[Geza Ulole]

Geza Ulole How come you ain't informing us of the $47.6 million loss that Fast Jet made?

but the bulk of that loss was made from subsidiaries in Ghana and Angola and as a matter of fact Fastjet Plc is disposing them! Tanzania subsidiary is making profit.

Fastjet finally manages to sell its loss-making Fly540 Ghana for $1

Share:

by Chris Papadopoullos

23 June 2015 1:37am

Fastjet bought Fly540 Ghana in 2012, but last year the subsidiary made losses of $11.3m​

African budget airline Fastjet sold its loss-making subsidiary airline Fly540 Ghana yesterday.

It sold the business to airline DWG-G for $1 (£0.63).

Operations in Ghana were suspended in May 2014 and since then the Fastjet management has been exploring opportunities to restructure or dispose of this loss-making business.

In the year ended 31 December 2014, Fly540 Ghana recorded losses before tax of $11.3m. The company was bought by Fastjet from Lonrho Aviation in July 2012.

"The disposal of Fly540 Ghana is a great step forward in Fastjet's restructuring plans for our legacy businesses," said Fastjet chief executive Ed Winter.

"While west Africa remains of interest to us as a low-cost market in the future, our current focus is on expanding our footprint in eastern and southern Africa."

The company said it plans to extend the Fastjet brand into west Africa when economic conditions are more favourable.

 

[Geza Ulole]

fastjet Passenger Statistics for May 2015

CAPA > Direct News Sources > fastjet Passenger Statistics for May 2015
10-Jun-2015
09-Jun-2015 Number of passengers carried up 52% year-on-year


fastjet operations in Tanzania carried a total of 65,118 passengers in May 2015, with a load factor of 70%. Compared with the same month of 2014, the number of passengers carried increased by 52%.

Punctuality for May remained excellent, with 94% of flights arriving on time Note 3.

fastjet has also just released its summer flying programme (end July to mid-September). Additional flights on the busy Dar es Salaam toMwanza route have been added, as well as an extra weekly flight linking Dar es Salaam with both Lusaka and Harare. This further increases utilisation of the current fleet .

Ed Winter, Chief Executive Officer of fastjet plc, said: "Once again, fastjet Tanzania has achieved considerable passenger growth year-on-year. This is particularly pleasing as we approach the busy summer period during which we have added more capacity on certainroutes to meet expected demand.

Preparations for the introduction of our 4th aircraft are well underway. This aircraft is being painted in our distinctive brand and being reconfigured to join the fastjet fleet.

I can also confirm that discussions are underway with potential suppliers to deliver our 5th aircraft."

____________________________________________________________________________
Month ending May 2015 May 2014 Change
Passengers Note 1 65,118 42,977 52%
Load Factor Note 2 70% 71% -1pp
Rolling 12 months ending May 2015 May 2014 Change
Passengers Note 1 716,350 407,908 76%
_______________________________________________________________________________
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 (excludes cancelled flights).
This report includes original source company information.

fastjet Passenger Statistics for May 2015 | CAPA - Centre for Aviation

 

[Bagamoyo]

July 21, 2015

Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.

fastjet Tanzania has announced its newest and fifth international route

fastjet Tanzania has announced that its newest and fifth international route will commence on 27th July 2015 between Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Lilongwe, Malawi.

Services between Dar es Salaam’s Julius Nyerere International Airport and Malawi’s Lilongwe International Airport will initially operate twice a week on Mondays and Fridays, using fastjet’s modern Airbus A319 jet aircraft with seating for 156 passengers. More capacity is expected to be added by fastjet to this route as demand increases for its safe, quick, affordable and on-time service.

Flights will depart Dar es Salaam at 10h25 and land in Lilongwe at 11h05, with a flight time of 1 hours 40 minutes. The return flight to Dar es Salaam departs at 11h40, landing at 14h20 (all local times).

Tickets for flights on the direct route are on sale immediately, with fares starting from US$50 one-way, excluding airport and government taxes with the fastjet promise that the earlier the booking is made, the lower the fare.

fastjet fares will be significantly lower than fares charged by the other full-service airlines currently operating direct flights between the two cities. In fact, one way, all-inclusive fares between the two cities cannot be found lower than US$359 during the month of August.

With its low-cost fares, fastjet expects many of its passengers on this new route to be first time flyers who would otherwise not have been able to afford to travel by air. Supporting this expectation is the research undertaken by the airline, which showed that 35% of its passengers were first time flyers.

“fastjet has been able to expand its international network by working closely with the governments and civil aviation authorities of Tanzania and Malawi, who understand and value the positive impact that low-cost air travel can have on the lives of their citizens and the general economy,” says Jimmy Kibati, fastjet Tanzania’s General Manager for East Africa.

“More affordable fares makes it easier for more entrepreneurs, tourists and other visitors to travel between Tanzania and Malawi which in turn will strengthen the countries’ relationship, boost their tourism and business sectors, and contribute significantly to both countries’ economic growth,” Kibati adds.

Bookings can be made online at www.fastjet.com/tz, through any fastjet office, or at travel agents. Payment for tickets can be made with cash, online with a credit card, or through Mpesa and Tigo Pesa.

“The addition of this new international route between Dar es Salaam and Lilongwe to the fastjet network emphasises our vision of becoming a true low-cost pan-African airline, and is evidence of our growing success,” says Kibati.

“Affordable air travel is key to the growth of economies across Africa. It is expensive and time-consuming to build roads to connect cities, inconvenient for people to travel over land, and even if there are existing airlines flying a route, they still exclude the majority of a country’s citizens due to the high cost of those flights.”

fastjet Tanzania already operates domestically from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza, Mbeya and Kilimanjaro, as well as between Kilimanjaro and Entebbe, and internationally between Dar es Salaam and Johannesburg in South Africa, Lusaka in Zambia, Entebbe in Uganda, and Harare in Zimbabwe.

Sources: fastjet launches new route to Malawi - Financial News - Investor News - Corporate - fastjet + MOBlog

 

[mwaswast]

July 21, 2015

Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.

fastjet Tanzania has announced its newest and fifth international route

fastjet Tanzania has announced that its newest and fifth international route will commence on 27th July 2015 between Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Lilongwe, Malawi.

Services between Dar es Salaam's Julius Nyerere International Airport and Malawi's Lilongwe International Airport will initially operate twice a week on Mondays and Fridays, using fastjet's modern Airbus A319 jet aircraft with seating for 156 passengers. More capacity is expected to be added by fastjet to this route as demand increases for its safe, quick, affordable and on-time service.

Flights will depart Dar es Salaam at 10h25 and land in Lilongwe at 11h05, with a flight time of 1 hours 40 minutes. The return flight to Dar es Salaam departs at 11h40, landing at 14h20 (all local times).

Tickets for flights on the direct route are on sale immediately, with fares starting from US$50 one-way, excluding airport and government taxes with the fastjet promise that the earlier the booking is made, the lower the fare.

fastjet fares will be significantly lower than fares charged by the other full-service airlines currently operating direct flights between the two cities. In fact, one way, all-inclusive fares between the two cities cannot be found lower than US$359 during the month of August.

With its low-cost fares, fastjet expects many of its passengers on this new route to be first time flyers who would otherwise not have been able to afford to travel by air. Supporting this expectation is the research undertaken by the airline, which showed that 35% of its passengers were first time flyers.

"fastjet has been able to expand its international network by working closely with the governments and civil aviation authorities of Tanzania and Malawi, who understand and value the positive impact that low-cost air travel can have on the lives of their citizens and the general economy," says Jimmy Kibati, fastjet Tanzania's General Manager for East Africa.

"More affordable fares makes it easier for more entrepreneurs, tourists and other visitors to travel between Tanzania and Malawi which in turn will strengthen the countries' relationship, boost their tourism and business sectors, and contribute significantly to both countries' economic growth," Kibati adds.

Bookings can be made online at www.fastjet.com/tz, through any fastjet office, or at travel agents. Payment for tickets can be made with cash, online with a credit card, or through Mpesa and Tigo Pesa.

"The addition of this new international route between Dar es Salaam and Lilongwe to the fastjet network emphasises our vision of becoming a true low-cost pan-African airline, and is evidence of our growing success," says Kibati.

"Affordable air travel is key to the growth of economies across Africa. It is expensive and time-consuming to build roads to connect cities, inconvenient for people to travel over land, and even if there are existing airlines flying a route, they still exclude the majority of a country's citizens due to the high cost of those flights."

fastjet Tanzania already operates domestically from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza, Mbeya and Kilimanjaro, as well as between Kilimanjaro and Entebbe, and internationally between Dar es Salaam and Johannesburg in South Africa, Lusaka in Zambia, Entebbe in Uganda, and Harare in Zimbabwe.

Sources: fastjet launches new route to Malawi - Financial News - Investor News - Corporate - fastjet + MOBlog

Tanzanian airline?

 

[Geza Ulole]

[h=2]Lilongwe joins Fastjet network in Africa with two flights a week from Dar es Salaam[/h]Posted by Aviation, Tourism and Conservation news - DAILY from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands inUncategorized. Leave a Comment
FASTJET LAUNCHES NEW ROUTE TO MALAWI
(Posted 27th July 2015)

Fastjet this morning launched their latest African destination out of Dar es Salaam, when flight FN209 took off at 09.40 hrs to Lilongwe with a full load of passengers, government and airline officials and local media. The new route, Fastjet’s fifth in Africa – they also operate to three domestic destinations out of Dar es Salaam – will initially be served twice a week every Monday and Friday. Fares, like to all other African destinations, start at US Dollars 50 one way, PLUS TAXES and regulatory fees and require prebooking as outlined on the airline’s website www.fastjet.com

Jimmy Kibati, Fastjet’s General Manager for East Africa, ahead of the maiden flight earlier today said: ‘Until now, it has been prohibitively expensive to fly between Lilongwe and Dar es Salaam. We believe that affordable fares on a direct route between the two cities will make it possible for more people in Malawi and Tanzania to experience the safety and convenience of air travel. We have worked closely with the governments of these two magnificent countries to establish this route, as we all agree that it will strengthen the trade, tourism and business sectors. Low-cost air travel stimulates economies in a number of ways, and we’re excited to contribute to economic growth in the countries we operate in’.

Richard Bodin, Fastjet PLC’s Chief Commercial Officer, in the meantime tweeted ‘First Fastjet flight to Malawi today. The LCC revolution spreading across East Africa’ a statement true except for Kenya where aviation authorities continue to sit on two applications, one of Fastjet PLC to establish a Kenyan offspring of Fastjet and the other being the landing rights for Fastjet in Tanzania on the route from Dar es Salaam to Nairobi. Shame on them to deny their people the low cost travel option now available to Tanzanians, Ugandans, South Africans, Zambians, Zimbabweans and as of today Malawians. Watch this space for breaking and regular aviation news.

https://wolfganghthome.wordpress.co...a-with-two-flights-a-week-from-dar-es-salaam/

 

[Geza Ulole]

KCAA continues to drag their legs on pending Fastjet applications

Posted by Aviation, Tourism and Conservation news - DAILY from Eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean islands inUncategorized. Leave a Comment
KENYA CIVIL AVIATION CONTINUES TO DELAY DECISION ON FASTJET APPLICATION
(Posted 08th August 2015)


Kenya's beleaguered Civil Aviation Authority, under pressure to allow foreign airlines to fly scheduled services into Mombasa to aid the tourism recovery at the Kenya coast, also continues to stomp into the face of official government declarations that foreign investment in the country is welcome.

The pending application by Fastjet for an air service license, the prerequisite to set up and airline and commence the process to attain an air operator certificate, continues to be stalled by the KCAA as no decision has been gazetted after the last licensing hearing.

Obliged by law must the KCAA publish their decisions on applications pending before them for consideration but for over a year now has the Fastjet application been deferred from hearing to hearing, even as a new board has since been installed.

THE KENYA GAZETTE
Published by Authority of the Republic of Kenya
(Registered as a Newspaper at the G.P.O.)
Vol. CXVII-No. 83
NAIROBI, 07 August,2015
Price Sh. 60
The notice in the latest Kenya Gazette, Vol. CXVII-No.83, available to readers by clicking on the link below and then accessible via a PDF file (http://kenyalaw.org/kenya_gazette/gazette/volume/MTE5NA–/Vol.%20CXVII-No.%2083) contains a decisions on over two dozen applications which were dealt with of licenses and license variations granted and denied, but the Fastjet application continues to be absent from the list time and again.

Rather unknown applicants like Renegade Air Limited of P.O. Box 1167 – 00621 Nairobi was granted a three year license to fly domestic scheduled services from Nairobi to Mombasa, Malindi, Kisumu and Eldoret, among others, all airports suitable for jet operations, similar to what Fastjet in their application had proposed to do, and yet does it appear that bias once more ruled the day as a new application was approved while a long pending one pushed further into the future.

This is in line with the same Kenya Civil Aviation Authority continuing to stall the landing right application from Fastjet Tanzania for the route from Dar es Salaam to Nairobi inspite of being a designated Tanzanian operator by the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority.

Calls within Tanzania are getting louder again for sanctions to be restored against Kenyan air operators flying not only into Dar es Salaam but also into Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro and Mwanza in retaliation to the total intransigence shown by the KCAA vis a vis this pending matter.

A tit for tat earlier in the year was resolved on presidential level but the meeting which was to take place to discuss a range of outstanding matters between the two countries on aviation as well as on tourism matters reportedly never did take place.

With the general election campaign in Tanzania now heating up it is only a matter of time before one or the other of the candidates will bring such issues to the fore and demand either action from the outgoing government or else threaten action when taking office after the elections, no doubt to the detriment of bilateral relations.

KCAA meanwhile remains shtumm to such revelations and has opted not to respond publicly to charges laid against them to be anti-investment and anti-air transport liberalization, suggesting that they are well aware of their guilt, and as some suggested complicity with Kenyan air operators desperate to keep Fastjet out of the Kenyan skies, as a locally incorporate airline as well as a Tanzanian airline wanting to fly to Nairobi.

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

https://wolfganghthome.wordpress.co...g-their-legs-on-pending-fastjet-applications/

 

[Geza Ulole]

BIG PICTURE
Fastjet is growing in confidence and expanding in size

15:09 26 Aug 2015

The fleet is about to have doubled in size and the initial cross-border network is being established

BIGPICTURE

The plan is have 34 planes in operation by 2018


Africa focused low cost carrier fastjet (LON:FJET) is growing in confidence after a pivotal 12 months.

July saw record numbers of passengers, while a deal has just been struck with a Chinese finance group that before too long should give birth to a new operation based in Zimbabwe.

News today revealed a new Airbus A319 - the first plane to be bought rather than leased - is due to be ready for operations by the end of next month.

It is earmarked as the first aircraft in the group's Zambia fleet. And it will mark a doubling of the overall fleet, to six aircrafts, once operational.

This is a far cry from a year ago and the doubts the airline would ever establish itself, despite operating international flights from its base in Tanzania since the end of 2013.

Legacy disputes, problems getting access into other airports in Africa and worries the money would run out before fastjet reached critical mass had taken a toll on its investors' patience and their pockets.

In the event, in April, the backers dug deep again and their rewards for a not inconsiderable cash injection of £50mln are now finally starting to come into view.

One reason investors have remained supportive is that the idea behind fastjet has always seemed sound.

Africa is seen as the last great mass travel destination yet to be developed.

President Obama called it ‘the continent on the move' in his recent trip to the region and highlighted high GDP growth currently in many African states.

Low-cost airline penetration of the African market is low by global standards.

No-frill carriers only account for about 10% of airline capacity compared with 20-40% in other regions, broker Liberum estimates.
And much of this existing capacity is South African airlines Kulula and Mango that only operate internally.

FastJet was set up in 2012 to capitalise on this opportunity, with management using the experience they had gleaned establishing easyJet in Europe.

It's been a bumpy ride but once Zimbabwe and Zambia, the bones of the network will be in place.

Putting the flesh on will involve a significant increase in the fleet size. It is planned that this will happen quickly.

FastJet's three A319 aircraft in Tanzania are now running at full capacity and the plan is have 34 planes in operation by 2018.

That's a major expansion and will require careful handling, but management has done it before and even after this expansion the fleet will still be small compared to European standards where easyJet has more than 210 aircraft and Ryanairalmost 320.

Liberum is among the most bullish of the brokers that follow the airline with a target price for the shares of 272p compared to a market price of 93p.

That target is based on a sharp increase in both revenues and profits over the next few years.

Turnover is forecast to triple in 2016 to US$271mln as more planes come on stream and be followed by a further 75% jump to US$474mln in 2017.

Profits will reflect the sales surge, with Liberum expecting a US$12mln profit in 2016 rising to US$49mln in the following year.

Gerald Khoo, Liberum's airlines watcher added: "It [fastjet] is poised to seize first mover advantage to become a Pan-African carrier with bases in up to six countries.

"This would position it to exploit and stimulate rapid growth in intra-African air travel, underpinned by above-average economic growth and GDP per capita improvements."

Khoo concedes there is plenty of execution risk, but unless it decides to buy all its new planes, rather than lease, calls on shareholders should be over.

And with things elsewhere moving in the airlines favour, the numbers may not look so ambitious.

Lower oil prices are already having a benefit said chief executive Ed Winter recently with costs with fuel down to third of all expenses compared with 42% previously.

After a wobble in early August, the shares have started to rise again and if the new licences come through as hoped, cruising height may be a lot higher in future.


Fastjet is growing in confidence and expanding in size - Proactiveinvestors (UK)

Meanwhile

2 DAYS AGO

Kenya Airways to sell four planes to raise cash, CS James Macharia says

The sale is part of a recovery plan by the airline.

Acting Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia at a past event. He said on August 25, 2015 that Kenya Airways would sell four of its older planes as part of its recovery plan. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• The airline also blamed travel advisories that led to a slump in the tourism industry.
• Strategic errors led to the near-collapse of Kenya's flag carrier.

Kenya Airways is planning to sell four of its older planes to raise cash after posting record losses.

Acting Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia told a House committee that the sale is part of a recovery plan by the airline.

Mr Macharia made the announcement when he met the Transport, Public Works and Housing Committee of the National Assembly on Tuesday.

KQ posted a Sh25.7 billion loss that it blamed on competition from Middle East carriers and high operating costs.

The airline also blamed travel advisories that led to a slump in the tourism industry, as well as runway closures for renovation, for eating into the company's 2014/2015 full-year earnings.

The airline has, however, been accused of poor management decisions, operational inefficiencies and failure to counter competition.

Preliminary evidence gathered by a Senate Select Committee looking into the airline's operations revealed that strategic errors led to the near-collapse of Kenya's flag carrier.

http://www.nation.co.ke/news/KQ-to-...0/-/view/printVersion/-/11exsg0z/-/index.html


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