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African budget airline FastJet makes its debut

By Budget Airline News

African budget airline FastJet made its debut on November 29, 2012 with flights in Tanzania. The airline’s maiden flights were from the capital Dar es Salaam to Mwanza and Kilimanjaro.

FastJet will operate two daily flights on each route using A319 aircraft. One-way fares are as low as $20 USD plus taxes.

Commenting on FastJet’s debut, chief commercial officer Richard Bodin said: “Today’s flights to Kilimanjaro and Mwanza mark the start of a new, revolutionary, smart way to travel for African people, and our first steps towards becoming a low cost, reliable pan-African airline.”

FastJet plans to open a second base in Nairobi, Kenya in early 2013 and then expand to Accra, Ghana and Luanda, Angola.

Fastjet scheduled to launch on November 29

By Budget Airline News

New African budget airline Fastjet is scheduled to begin operations on November 29, 2012. Its initial routes will be from Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania to Kilimanjaro and  Mwanza.

The initial schedule for the two routes will be 2 round-trip flights per day. Online booking is available at www.fastjet.com and one-way fares start from TSH 32,000 ($20 USD) plus taxes.

Fastjet also plans to add routes to Mombasa, Entebbe, Nairobi, and Zanzibar in the coming months.

1Time cancels all flights, files for liquidation

By Budget Airline News

South African budget airline 1Time cancelled all flights on November 2, 2012, and has filed for liquidation. The airline is believed to have debt over $1.85 million USD.

The following statement from CEO Blacky Komani has been posted on the official 1Time website:

“I sincerely thank our employees who worked so hard over the years to drive 1time.s business, the travel trade who have been steadfast in their support, and our passengers who carried and maintained 1time during our most difficult and trying financial times, your loyalty is appreciated.

Although 1time ceases to exist, the airline that we.ve built up through blood, sweat, tears and undeniable passion, will live on in the hearts of our passengers and also our competitors, who know that they have lost a formidable and world-class player in the low cost market.”

The 1Time fleet was grounded without any warning and left hundreds of travelers stranded.  Travelers affected by the grounding of 1Time are advised to make alternative travel arrangements.

 

FastJet will establish a base in Tanzania

By Budget Airline News

FastJet, the up-coming African budget airline, has announced that its first base will be located in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Flights are anticipated to begin as soon as November 2012.

FastJet CEO Ed Winter said: “Our initial focus will be on East Africa with the airline’s first base at Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, where the A319 aircraft has already been approved by the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority. This will be followed by a second base in Nairobi, Kenya, once the A319 is approved there. We look forward to bringing a great, reliable and affordable service to the people of East Africa.”

After establishing itself in East Africa, FastJet plans to expand to  Ghana and Angola.

FastJet is backed by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the founder of European low-cost airline EasyJet.

 

 

Zimbabwe to get new budget airline

By Budget Airline News

The African country of Zimbabwe is set to get its first budget airline this year. The new airline, to be named Fresh Air, is a partnership between South African budget airline 1Time and Zimbabwe-based Nu-Aero.

Fresh Air will initially offer flights between Victoria Falls and Johannesburg. The airline hopes to launch this route in August 2012.

In a statement, the new CEO of Fresh Air, Chakanyuka Karase, said: “The entry of a low-cost carrier in Zimbabwe has great potential, and we are proud to have launched into this partnership with 1time, who already has palpable successes in the no-frills market. We have absolutely no doubt that this business model will succeed as it is exactly what our emerging economy needs to maintain sustainability, and is an efficient way to connect families, businesses and tourist destinations.”

Africa’s FastJet aiming to launch in October 2012

By Budget Airline News

FastJet, the up-coming African budget airline, will take possession of leased Airbus A319 aircraft in September 2012 and aim for a October 2012 launch date. FastJet aims to expand its fleet to five aircraft within six months of its launch and up to 15 aircraft within the first year of operations.

FastJet will be Africa’s first true low-cost airline and is backed by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the founder of Europe’s EasyJet. It will initially serve  Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Angola.

 

 

 

Ryanair cuts Morocco routes

By Budget Airline News

Budget airline Ryanair has announced it will be terminating certain routes to Morocco and reducing the frequency of others with effect from October 1, 2012. The changes are due to increased airport fees in Morocco which will make these routes less profitable.

In total, 34 Ryanair flights per week will be cut. The London(Stansted)-Fez and Valencia-Marrakech routes will be terminated, and flights from London(Luton)-Marrakech will be reduced to 2 flights per week.

The official Ryanair statement read: “ONDA, the Moroccan Government’s airports authority, has reneged on its agreement with the airline by imposing a new monopoly handling company on Ryanair which would have resulted in a massive increase in charges for the airline”.

New African budget airline Fastjet will absorb Fly540

By Budget Airline News

New details have emerged about FastJet, a proposed low-cost airline that will serve Africa.

FastJet, which is backed by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou of EasyJet fame, will initially acquire the African airline Fly540 and restructure it as a low-cost carrier.

An statement from Rubicon, the British investment firm that has purchased Fly540, read: “The combined talents of Rubicon’s management team and our partners from Lonrho and Sir Stelios’ easyGroup will transform Fly540, already a growing and successful business, into Fastjet, a low cost, point-to-point, no frills all jet airline for Africa.”

FastJet will serve Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, and Angola with a one-way flight between two countries expected to be around $70-80. These countries have a combined population over 100 million, and Fastjet aims to carry more than 12 million passengers per year by providing affordable fares to middle-class families.

While FastJet is still in early stages of development, they hope to be flying by the end of 2012.

The official statement continued: “Plans for the launch of ‘Fastjet’ are underway but not yet finalised and the introduction of an appropriate fleet of modern jet aircraft may require the raising of additional funding”.

CEO of South Africa’s 1Time airline resigns

By Budget Airline News

1Time, the South African budget airline, has announced the resignation of CEO Rodney James. Michael Kaminski, the airline’s executive director, has also stepped down from his position.

“Mr. Kaminski will be serving his notice period up until the end of May, during which time the board will undertake the process to find a suitable replacement for him,” read the statement from 1Time.

With the search for a new CEO may come other changes for the struggling budget airline. 1Time has revealed they are considering cutting services between Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town that are not profitable, but are also looking at new destinations.

Kulula stops flights to Maputo, Mozambique

By Budget Airline News

Kulula, a South African budget airline, has announced that it will stop flying to Maputo, the capital city of Mozambique, on January 17, 2012.

“The route from Lanseria (Johannesburg’s second airport) to Maputo, which became effective in May 2011, has proved to be commercially unviable for the airline,” spokeswoman Heidi Brauer said in a statement.

The airline said affected ticket-holders will either be refunded or booked on other airlines.

Kulula launched flights to Maputo last year in a bid to compete with South African Airways and Mozambican national airline LAM, the carriers that have long dominated the market.

South African budget airline 1Time also quit flying from Johannesburg to Maputo in 2011, just a year after launching flights on the route.