Fastjet fights for return to the skies

Dar es Salaam. Six months after Fastjet was forced to cease operations the low cost carrier is still fighting to return to the skies.

A public notice issued by the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) yesterday indicated that Fastjet Airlines Ltd has submitted new application for both scheduled and non-scheduled air services within and outside the country.

The notice listed at least 10 routes that the company seeks to ply, including international routes  to Johannesburg, Lubumbashi, Lusaka, Kigali, Moroni and Dubai.

However, the regulator’s board of directors decided during its May 18 sitting to defer the application to the next licensing meeting. According to TCAA public information officer Bestina Magutu, the next such meeting is expected after six months.

Fastjet chairman Mr Lawrence Masha told The Citizen that they had not lost hope to return to the skies and that all pending issues were being sorted out.

Aviation authorities temporarily revoked Fastjet’s operating license last December citing the cancellation of its trips and huge debts that the carrier had accumulated.

The licence expired on January 3, 2019, forcing the company to apply for a new one. The authorities said that the budget airline had huge debts with the service providers and the TCAA itself. It also owed the government some Sh1.4 billion in services and other regulatory fees.

“Everything is being taken care of and we hope we will come back soon. We are closely working with the TCAA to ensure this airline which was accepted by the people is back flying,” said Mr Masha by phone.

“We are actually optimistic with our future,” he added. The return of Fastjet would be welcome due to its lower ticket prices and a flexible booking schedule that enabled more people to afford that mode of transport.

Currently, only ATCL and Precision operates scheduled flights within the country but their ticket costs are higher. Whilst it was possible for one to travel for as less as Sh80,000 on Fastjet, for a return ticket, the average price for a one-way ticket by the rivals on popular routes averages Sh250,000, at the minimum.

There has also been concern that lack of competition in the skies would entrench monopoly and lead to poor standards.

Mr Masha upped his stake in Fastjet Tanzania last year, from four per cent to 68 per cent after he bought 47 per cent of the company’s shares owned by local investors and 17 per cent owned by Fastjet Plc, becoming the majority shareholder and owner of the unit.

According to the TCAA announcement, Fastjet was the only airline whose application for air services licence was deferred to the next licensing meeting.

Other applications that were approved include Blue Panorama Airlines of Italy (non-scheduled services); Air Italy Fly S.p.A of Italy (non-scheduled services); Royal Avion Services Ltd of Tanzania (non-scheduled services); Transair Charters Company Ltd of Tanzania (scheduled services); and Air Africa International Ltd of Tanzania (scheduled air services).

vices, the TCAA board approved one new applicant – Celebi Tanzania Aviation Services Ltd – and deferred one new applicant – Union Nation Holdings Ltd.

Fastjet Tanzania launched its low-cost services in Dar es Salaam in November 2012. The airline’s first two years of operations were positive, with thousands of passengers turning to it.