6 Dec 2012 07:00
6 December 2012
fastjet plc
("fastjet" or the "Company")
fastjet reports on first week of operations and additional £2.5 million funding
fastjet, Africa's first low-cost airline, commenced commercial flight operations one week ago in Tanzania and is pleased to report that the airline carried 6,884 passengers with an average load factor of 85.4%. In addition, fastjet has sold 18,090 tickets to only two destinations with bookings now being taken as far out as March 2013.
All traffic to date has been on the initial Dar es Salaam to Mwanza and Kilimanjaro routes and as from tomorrow, fastjet will start adding additional flights to these two key launch destinations to service the demand for seats.
Commenting on the success of the first week of operations, fastjet Chief Executive Ed Winter said:
"A great deal of hard work has gone in from the fastjet team, Tanzanian Government, agents, contractors and suppliers to make this launch such a success. We are looking forward to having all 3 initial Airbus A319's fully operational over the coming weeks so that we can adequately cater for the expected holiday surge."
Issue of Equity to raise £2.5 million:
fastjet has outlined an aggressive growth strategy and has increased its working capital through a new successful fund raising with gross proceeds of £2,514,286 via a placing with an existing institutional investor and a draw down on its £5 million Equity Financing Facility ("EFF") with Darwin Strategic Limited ("Darwin"), a majority owned subsidiary of Henderson Global Investors Volantis Fund.
The Company has received a legally binding contract from the existing institutional investor to raise £2,000,000 by way of the issue of 66,666,667 new ordinary shares at a placing price of 3p per share. These shares will rank pari passu in all respects with existing ordinary shares of 1p each in fastjet. Once all the funds have been cleared, the placing will be completed and the Company will make an announcement of the issue of the Placing Shares and their date of admission to AIM which is expected by 11 December 2012.
In addition, and under the terms of the previously announced £5 million EFF agreement, the Company has raised an additional £514,286 by way of the issue of 14,285,714 shares of 1p each to Darwin (the "EFF Shares"). The new EFF Shares will be issued at a price of 3.6p per share and will also rank pari passu in all respects with existing ordinary shares of 1p each in fastjet.
An application will also be made to the London Stock Exchange for the 14,285,714 EFF Shares to be admitted to trading on AIM. It is expected that the admission will become effective and that trading in these new shares is expected by 11 December 2012.
For media enquiries please contact:
UK media - Citigate Dewe Rogerson Tel: +44 (0) 20 7638 9571
Angharad Couch
Patrick Donovan
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Eleni Menikou
Africa Media - Africa Practice Tel: +254 (0) 20 239 6899
Natalie Maule
Anna Riley
Joan Kiambati
Meg Muigai
Evelyn Njoroge
For investor enquiries please contact:
W.H. Ireland Ltd. Tel: +44 (0) 20 7220 1666
James Joyce
Nick Field
NOTES TO EDITORS
About fastjet plc
fastjet plc is quoted on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market. For more information see www.fastjet.com