By MAIMBOLWA MULIKELELA –
FASTJET Zambia is scheduled to be launched this year to facilitate for the introduction of domestic flights. Fastjet started operations in Zambia on February 14, 2014 with direct flights from Dar es Salaam to Lusaka.
Fastjet group chief executive officer Ed Winter said the airline would continue engaging the Zambian authorities, towards launching Fastjet Zambia this year.
Mr Winter said Zambia had long been part of the Fastjet expansion plans and operating domestically and regionally from within Zambia was a natural next step.
He said in response to a press query that a lot of their time and efforts have been focussed on getting Dar es Salaam and Kilimanjaro to Nairobi routes operational.
“We continue to engage with the Zambian authorities, working towards launching Fastjet Zambia in 2016.
Zambia has long been part of Fastjet’s expansion plans and operating domestically and regionally from and within Zambia is a natural next step,” he said.
Mr Winter said establishing the route between Dar es Salaam and Nairobi had been a huge step for the airline.
He said  Fastjet would continue  investing  in growing the relationship with the Kenyan authorities to increase frequency and add more Kenyan destinations to the Fastjet network.
“We expect to launch flights between Zanzibar and Nairobi as well as Dar es Salaam and Mombasa later in 2016. Fastjet will also continue to invest in the organic growth of Fastjet Tanzania, increasing the frequencies of flights and adding additional destinations where suitable,” he said.
Mr Winter said the airline was still engaging with the Zimbabwean authorities and looked  forward to completing all the requirements for an international licence that would allow a route to be launched between Harare and Johannesburg as well as Victoria Falls and Johannesburg.
“The Fastjet Zimbabwe route between Harare and Victoria Falls has proved extremely popular, and we anticipate increasing frequency in the coming months.
Fastjet Zimbabwe also looks forward to launching other domestic routes within Zimbabwe,” Mr Winter said.