Fastjet go for more routes despite loss report

FASTJET, the budget airline, which reportedly suffered over 80 million US dollars loss last year, will go on with its expansion programme that includes increasing the number of flights on Dar es Salaam to Mwanza, and Dar es Salaam to Lusaka routes.

The airline also announced on Tuesday that ticket sales for its new Dar es Salaam to Harare route, due to start operating in August, have been very strong.

The company’s Chief Commercial Officer, Mr Richard Bodin, said in a statement that “We are thrilled to be adding these flights to our existing schedule.”

The move comes in response to customer demand, that makes Fastjet to add four additional return flights per week on its popular route linking Dar es Salaam and Mwanza.

Mr Bodin noted that, “Adding another flight per week to Lusaka demonstrates the popularity of our international offering and that the Zambian market is embracing fastjet’s service and prices.

This provides a solid foundation for our planned domestic operation in Zambia, which is expected to obtain government approval in the very near future.”

He said fastjet has been the dominant operator on the important Dar es Salaam to Mwanza route for some time and these extra rotations will give our passengers greater choice and flexibility when travelling to and from Dar es Salaam.

Bodin said the extra flights will operate on Sundays, Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays, bringing the total number of return flights each week to 25. Tickets will go on sale today and flights are scheduled to commence on the 1st August.

Also, from mid August, the budget airliner will also operate an additional return flight on Sundays between Dar es Salaam and Lusaka, bringing the number of flights linking Tanzania to Zambia to four per week. Tickets for this flight will also be available from today.

Ticket sales for Harare have been very strong, with the many of the first flights from Zimbabwean capital to Dar-es-Salaam having sold out weeks before flights commence.

The Interim Chairman and Chief Executive, Ed Winter, said increasing frequency on the route was in line with our stated objective of maximizing the use of our resources, particularly our aircraft, which allows us to more efficiently manage our fixed costs and overheads.

“Sales on our newest route have far surpassed expectations and only a handful of seats remain for travel to Tanzania from Zimbabwe in August, with this trend continuing well into September bookings. We hope to meet this demand by adding additional flights on this route in due course,” Mr Winter said.

SOURCE: DAILY NEWS

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