FastJet expands fleet and beefs up management ahead of launch

FastJet Plc is the holding company for African airline Fly540, which operates from four bases in Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana and Angola. Fly540 currently has 10 aircraft serving around 25 domestic and regional destinations, carrying approximately 750,000 passengers per year with a strong emphasis on safety, security and reliability.

Following an intensive consultancy assignment by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou’s easyGroup focused on determining the feasibility of launching a European-style low-cost carrier in Africa, we are now preparing for the launch of FastJet, Africa’s first low-cost carrier, flying a modern fleet of jet aircraft based on the Fly540 platform of licences and routes. First flights under the FastJet brand are expected to take place in November 2012, bringing an entirely new flying experience to the African market.

African no-frills airline FastJet (LON:FJET) has beefed up its management team and leased two more Airbus A319s ahead of its launch in November.

The two new aircraft will take its fleet of A319s up to three. FastJet has a target of deploying five A319s in Africa within six months of launch and up to 15 aircraft in a years’ time.

The airline has also appointed three new executives to the management team. Rob Bishton joins as operations director, based at the airline’s headquarters in Gatwick, London. He previously worked for easyJet where he spent two years as Chief Pilot and Head of Aircraft Operations.

Kyle Haywood, formerly chief executive of Air Uganda, joins FastJet as General Manager of Africa. Former Ryanair executive Harun Cordan, meanwhile, will become Group Chief Pilot and Head of Flight Operations.

Ed Winter, FastJet chief executvie, said: "Signing two further aircraft to our fleet and securing delivery in November puts us firmly on track to launch FastJet next month at our first base in Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.

“I am also delighted to be welcoming three top aviation executives to the FastJet team. Between them they bring over 50 years of operational experience from across the sector and they are important strategic hires for us ahead of launch and our inaugural flight in just a few weeks.”

FastJet also said today it had enetered into an exclusive service contract with Swissport International to provide ground handling and related management services to FastJet across its operations.

It has also awarded a five year contract to Sabena technics to provide maintenance support for the fleet of Airbus A319s.

Once established in East Africa, FastJet has plans to launch in Accra, Ghana and Luanda and Angola.

The business is being developed with the help of easyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, who is both a shareholder and director of the company.

The eventual aim is to create an airline carrying 12 million passengers a year.