FASTJET WINS THE ‘TRANSPORT INNOVATOR AWARD’ AT 08TH TRANSPORT AFRICA MEETING
(Posted 02nd July 2015)
The 08th edition of the Transport Africa Awards in Johannesburg saw Tanzania’s Fastjet walk away with the coveted ‘Transport Innovator Award 2015’, recognized for the airline’s success over the past two years since the initial launch. With over 1.2 million passengers carried, nearly 40 percent of them first time travelers by air, a year on year growth of over 50 percent, serving three domestic destinations in Tanzania out of Dar es Salaam and having just announced their sixth international destination, Lilongwe in Malawi, was Fastjet chosen for the award from among many other contestants.
Small but for travelers meaningful gestures introduced by Fastjet, like being able to carry 20 kilograms of fish when flying out of Mwanza back to Dar es Salaam for just 6 US Dollars or the initiative to allow passengers up to 80 kilograms of checked baggage which has seen small scale traders take advantage of being able to take goods with them to for instance Mbeya but also on some of the regional routes has clearly made an impact on those voting for Fastjet, as did fares which start at US Dollars 20 and US Dollars 50 respectively for domestic and international routes, PLUS TAXES and regulatory charges.
Said the airline’s CCO Richard Bodin when asked to comment: ‘This Award recognizes the importance and relevance of our vision to make air travel accessible to more people on the African continent. It’s commendable that the industry is recognizing our achievements at a time when our growth rate is increasing significantly’.
Later this year will Fastjet launch operations from Zimbabwe and Zambia where the process to get an air operator certificate is well advanced and towards which end a fourth Airbus A319 has been acquired with the purchase of a fifth such aircraft in the pipeline.
