TANZANIAN-BASED LOW-COST FLYER LINKS ENTEBBE

KARIBU: Passengers disembark from the inaugural flight at Entebbe, which fastjet plan to become twice weekly.

ENTEBBE, Uganda - Tanzania based low- cost airline, fastjet, last week launched its services in Uganda writes.

fastjet, which launched its services in Tanzania about two years ago, has been in talks with the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to introduce flights to Uganda.

It operates a fleet of distinctively branded Airbus A319s. The Entebbe landing last week, was fastjet’s fourth international route after already having launched flights to Johannesburg, Lusaka and Harare. It is based at the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam.

“We hope to open up new routes to Juba (South Sudan), Mombasa and the Comoros Islands,” Jai Gilbert, the fastjet Head of Marketing at Entebbe Airport said at Entebbe International Airport.

Tom Wasswa, the CAA Chief Marketing and Commercial Manager, welcomed fastjet to Uganda. He urged Ugandans who have not flown before, to take the opportunity of flying in an aircraft at such low fees.

Gilbert said they will initially operate two flights a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the first weeks of September. They will increase their flights to four a week after September 29th.

Ugandans will be able to fly to Dar es Salaam or connect to Johannesburg, Lusaka or Harare for as low as $50 (about Ush140,000) for a one way ticket but exclusive of airport and government taxes. 

A flight to Dar will cost about Ush300,000 ($109), including taxes.

“With our market stimulating fares, starting from as low as Ush140,000 plus government taxes, fastjet is confident that it will have a strong competitive advantage and that this new route will be a commercial success,” Gilbert said.

She said fastjet is the only existing direct air link between Tanzania and Uganda. This will help stimulate business and tourism traffic.

Since Air Uganda ceased flying in June, fares have risen sharply for regional routes. “fastjet is delighted with this opportunity to enter the Ugandan market and the support it has received from the Ugandan government and authorities.

“We very much look forward to increasing flights and hope this is the beginning of a wider fastjet network from Entebbe,”Gilbert said.

East African Business Week