Fastjet announces daily flights to Zanzibar from Dar

Dar es Salaam, 10th  December 2015 – Fastjet, the low-cost pan-African airline, has announced that it will commence daily flights to Zanzibar from Dar Es Salaam on 11 January 2016 in response to strong passenger and tour operator demand from within the local and regional market.

Services between Dar Es Salaam’s Mwalimu Nyerere International Airport and Zanzibar’s Abeid Amani Karume International Airport will operate using Fastjet’s modern Airbus A319 jet aircraft with seating for up to 156 passengers.

The Dar-Zanzibar flight that will also be connecting to Johannesburg in South Africa is in line with Fastjet’s policy of listening to its customers’ demands.

According to Fastjet General  Manager, Jimmy Kibati, flights to South Africa will depart Zanzibar at 09h30 and land in Johannesburg at 13h20, with the return flight from Johannesburg departing at 14h10 and landing in Zanzibar at 19h40 (all local times).

The new route will be sweet music to the ears of local and international holiday makers who will now have a choice of departure days, unlike before when they were restricted to start their holidays on either a Tuesday or a Thursday.

Tickets for the Zanzibar flights are on sale immediately, with one way fares from Dar es Salaam starting from Tsh 22,000 and fares from Zanzibar starting 22,000, making a return flight to the Spice Islands from Dar es Salaam start at only Tsh 70,000 including all airport and government taxes.

Conversely, one way fares from Johannesburg to Zanzibar will start from ZAR1,704, and fares from Zanzibar starting at ZAR1,860, making a return flight to the Spice Islands from Johannesburg start at only ZAR3,564 including all airport and government taxes.

Fastjet’s lowest fares to Zanzibar from Dar es Salaam will be significantly cheaper than those charged by the only airline currently flying this route, who do so only twice a week.  In fact, passengers flying between Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar cannot find return fares lower than Tsh 70,000 during the months of December 2015, January and February 2016*.

Previously, Fastjet partnered with Dar es Salaam based Coastal Aviation to fly passengers to Zanzibar, but flights were restricted to daylight flights, and involved transfers and luggage collection on the ground in Dar es Salaam.

“Fastjet passengers wanting to fly to Zanzibar will now have a choice of departure days, no more being restricted to starting your flight on either a Tuesday or a Thursday, regardless of what works for your diary,” says Jimmy Kibati.

“What’s more, paying less for flights means that holidaymakers now have the choice to perhaps upgrade their accommodation, or to take the whole family along instead of leaving the little ones at home with the grandparents,” he continued.

With Fastjet’s cheapest fares almost half the price of existing lowest fares, the airline expects many of its passengers on this flight to be first time visitors to Zanzibar, who would otherwise not have been able to afford to travel to what is a popular holiday destination for local and international travellers.

Supporting this expectation is recent research undertaken by the airline, showing that 35% of its passengers on all routes were first time flyers able to afford air travel for the first time, thanks to Fastjet’s low fares.

“Affordable fares makes it easier for more tourists and other visitors to travel to Zanzibar, which in turn will boost tourism on the island and contribute significantly to Zanzibar’s’ economic growth,” says Kibati.

·         Daily flights from Dar es Salaam  to Zanzibar commence on 11 January 2016

·         Flights from Zanzibar to Dar es Salaam will depart once daily from Monday to Friday and twice every Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday and on weekends from 11th January 2016 until 21 March 2016.