FASTJET RESTORES NONSTOP FLIGHTS FROM DAR ES SALAAM TO ENTEBBE
(Posted 16th September 2014)
Fastjet will today launch its fourth international destination out of Dar es Salaam, when the maiden flight to Entebbe in Uganda is taking to the skies. After Johannesburg, Lusaka and Harare are flights to Entebbe of particular importance, as the double daily nonstop flights by Air Uganda came to an abrupt halt on the 17th of June when the Ugandan regulators pulled all air operator certificates for international flights to escape ICAO’s citation for significant safety concerns. Ever since were travelers forced to fly between the two airports via third countries at considerably greater expense and having to suffer much longer journey times.
Fastjet will for the first two weeks fly twice a week before upping flights on the 29th of September to four per week, which in terms of seats, though not in terms of departures, almost restores the status quo pre 17th of June.
Early bird tickets sell at 80.000 Tanzania Shillings, PLUS TAXES for a one way ticket while in Uganda the same route sells for 50 US Dollars, again PLUS TAXES. Demand for tickets is reportedly strong already as the cost of flying is almost equivalent to the cost of a bus ticket, as long as the lowest fares can be secured by early bookings. The airline is targeting the VFR market as well as aiming to capture the business traffic, in particular individuals for whom cost and time are of essence.
Fastjet presently operates a fleet of three Airbus A319 aircraft in an all economy configuration. The airline is at an advanced stage to establish an operation in Zambia with the main hub in Lusaka and has applied to the Kenyan aviation authorities for a license to set up an operation in East Africa’s largest market for air travel.
Happy Landings to the crew and passengers of the inaugural flight from Dar es Salaam to Entebbe and vice versa and all flights in the future.
