Tuesday 29 November 2016

Fastjet Airline To Show Profit Sooner Than Later

First came the news that the company headquarters will be moved from London Gatwick to Johannesburg to save cost, which according to reliable information will see some key individuals leave the airline at that time.

That was followed by a review on fleet requirements and the decision to gradually phase out the Airbus A319, in principle a perfectly good aircraft but arguably too large to profitably operate on a number of routes in Tanzania as well as regional and international routes.

A leased Embraer E190 has already joined the fleet and aviation pundits are closing monitoring when additional such smaller aircraft will join the fleet, all of course subject to regulatory approvals and amendments in operating licenses.

Now, late yesterday, was confirmation received that Fastjet in Tanzania will effective 05th of December halt flights between Dar es Salaam and Entebbe and on the same day will also halt flights between Dar es Salaam and Nairobi.

It is not clear at this time if these flights will resume when the new and more cost effective smaller aircraft have joined the Fastjet fleet, not vis a vis any timeframe for such changes nor vis a vis a principle decision on operating the routes in the future.

In Zimbabwe will, also effective 05th December, the route from Victoria Falls to Johannesburg be suspended, compelling tourist visitors from South Africa to fly either via Harare or else via Livingstone across the border in Zambia.

In a related development was Fastjet also once again hit with a birdstrike, rendering one of their aircraft in Tanzania unserviceable and leading to the cancellation of several flights. Updates on a return to full scheduled services will be available on the Fastjet

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