fastjet has announced that its newest international routes will be from Harare and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe to Johannesburg, South Africa.
The launch of these routes is as a result of fastjet Zimbabwe receiving clearance from the Zimbabwean and South African governments to operate flights between the two respective countries.
Return flights from Harare International Airport and Victoria Falls International Airport to Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport will operate using fastjet’s A319 jet aircraft with seating for up to 144 passengers.
The Harare/Johannesburg route will commence on 1 February 2016 and operate daily with an additional daily flight expected to be quickly added by fastjet as consumer awareness and demand increases for its affordable, safe, quick and on-time service. Flights linking Victoria Falls to and from Johannesburg will initially be three times a week on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays, commencing 3 February 2016.
These new South African flights from Harare and Victoria Falls mark the first international flights for fastjet Zimbabwe with the airline presently flying domestically between Harare – Victoria Falls.
fastjet also announced that it expects fastjet Zimbabwe to receive approval for additional international flights to commence from Zimbabwe to further East and Southern Africa markets within the first quarter of 2016.
Combined with the South African flights announced today, these routes will create a comprehensive fastjet Zimbabwe network of international destinations to complement its domestic routes.
“When fastjet Zimbabwe’s first flight took off just 12 weeks ago, we promised that we would make air travel more accessible than ever before, and today’s announcement is a further significant step in fulfilling that promise” said Richard Bodin, fastjet’s Chief Commercial Officer.
Supporting this statement is recent research undertaken by the fastjet, showing that up to 40% of passengers on all routes were first time flyers able to afford air travel for the first time, thanks to fastjet’s low fares.
“The only alternative to flying is to undertake long and uncomfortable journeys by road, which can take up to 20 hours from Harare to Johannesburg. As has been the case with other routes that we have launched, we expect many of our passengers to be first time flyers who, because of prohibitively high fares, cannot afford to travel by air,” Bodin continues.
“Making it easier for more entrepreneurs, traders, tourists and other visitors to travel between Zimbabwe and South Africa will strengthen the countries’ relationship, boost tourism and business sectors, create jobs and contribute significantly to both countries’ economic growth,” Bodin concludes.
Available for purchase on these routes will be fastjet’s luggage upgrade option, ‘Freighty’, that allows passengers to transport up to 80kg of checked in bags.