FASTJET SETS NEW DATE FOR JOHANNESBURG FLIGHTS
(Posted 14th October 2013)
In a breaking news development it was just learned that the South African civil aviation department has at long last finished their ‘review’ of additional documents, demanded from Tanzania’s low cost airline on the eve of their planned inaugural flight from Dar es Salaam to Johannesburg.
The ‘review’, like the initial demand which effectively halted the flights to commence, was largely perceived in the market as a last ditch effort by a competitor, which has been charging fares literally at will, forcing many wannabe travelers to fly via Kigali with Rwandair or via Nairobi with Kenya Airways.
Company CEO Ed Winter was quoted in a mail just received here as having stated:
‘The South African Department of Transport has completed its review of the additional documents it requestedand has issued an updated Foreign Operator Permit.FastJet is delighted that, in line with our expansion strategy, operations can now commence on this route. Until now, flying between Dar es Salaam and Johannesburg has been prohibitively expensive for many people. The launch of this service offers a new, affordable and reliable option to both Tanzanians and South Africans’.
Mincing no words the culprit was clearly named by Winter, leaving no doubt at all now who was the main benficiear for a few more weeks of their fare policy.
The inaugural flight will take off from Dar es Salaam on Friday 18th of October, i.e. this coming Friday already, showing that FastJet was ready to fly almost at an instant’s notice once given the final clearance.
The presently envisaged three flights a week will leave Dar es Salaam’s Julius Nyerere International Airport at 09.15 hrs in the morning and arrive in Johannesburg at 11.45 hrs before returning to Dar later in the day.
Watch this space for breaking as well as regular aviation news from the Eastern African region.
