Fastjet, Africa’s first low-cost airline, has on
Tuesday this week unveiled its first fully branded aircraft ahead of commencing
flights operations in Tanzania in two days’ time.
Speaking to reporters in a news conference in Dar es
Salaam this week, Fastjet Chief Executive Ed Winter said that from Thursday, 29th
November, Fastjet will operate twice daily flights on its first two routes, Dar
es Salaam to Kilimanjaro and Dar es Salaam to Mwanza.
He said that tickets went on sale two weeks ago and
fastjet has recorded strong demand, outstripping its initial expectations.
Winter added that average fares are expected to be
USD80 but now start from as low as USD20 one way (excluding taxes and charges)
for customers who book early.
“Today is an incredibly exciting day not just for
fastjet, but for Tanzania and Africa as a whole. For years, the African
aviation-market has been significantly underserved, lagging a very long way
behind the rest of the World,” winter said.
He further said that the airline is committed to
become a large scale local employer and will recruit and train people on the
ground and it has already hired over 70 local people in Tanzania.
“Fastjet’s decision to base its fleet on A319 is
testament to the aircraft’s efficiency, reliability and suitability for the
low-cost operations in Sub-Sahara Africa,
“With the market leading modern Airbus single-aisle
aircraft, fastjet will be introducing new levels of comfort and affordability
to an African market which is set to double over the next 20 years,” he
attributed.
On his part Deputy Minister for Transport Dr Charles
Tizeba said that the government will continue to create a conducive environment
in the aviation sector to attract more investors in the aviation sector in the
country.
He noted that the government is ready to strength partnership
with the private sector as part of the efforts to foster social and economic development
across the country.
Ends.
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