Fastjet to start flights between Kenya, Tanzania

(ShareCast News) - Low cost African airline fastjet said its Tanzanian operation had been given clearance by the Kenyan government to operate flights between Kenya and Tanzania.Fastjet said two new routes, Dar es Salaam to Nairobi, and Kilimanjaro to Nairobi were on sale from Wednesday.From 11 January 2016, fastjet Tanzania will operate a daily flight between Dar es Salaam and Nairobi and between Kilimanjaro and Nairobi. Flights between Zanzibar and Nairobi and Dar es Salaam and Mombasa are also expected to be added to the network later in 2016.One way fares will start from $50 - $80 on the two new routes.Fastjet chief executive Ed Winter said passenger traffic between the major cities of Dar es Salaam and Nairobi, which have a combined population of over 8m people, had been limited by high air fares."The only alternative to flying is to undertake a long and difficult journey by road, which can take up to 12 hours," he said."Nairobi and Dar es Salaam are not only key travel destinations, and two of the busiest* airports in the region, but also hubs with extensive regional and international networks. Expanding the network into Kenya marks an important milestone in fastjet's strategic development and is a significant achievement for the Company, its staff and shareholders."