16 Oct 2013 07:00
fastjet plc
("fastjet" or the "Company")
16th October 2013
fastjet Passenger Statistics and Operational Update for September 2013
fastjet Plc is pleased to announce its passenger statistics for the month of September. Total passenger numbers for the combined operations continue to show a significant year on year percentage increase of 61% from 50,543 in September 2012 to 81,291 in September 2013.
As expected, fastjet operations in Tanzania showed a small decrease in passenger numbers, 2% from 33,079 to 32,387, compared with August, the peak summer travel month. The decrease in load factor, from 84% in August to 76% in September, was driven by an increase in capacity on the Dar es Salaam to Mwanza route, as fastjet introduced additional flights following the approval of night operations at Mwanza airport.
The fastjet Tanzania operation continued to achieve excellent levels of reliability with no flights cancelled and 97% of flights arriving within 15 minutes of schedule.
As announced on Monday, the South African Department of Transport has now reissued fastjet's Foreign Operator Permit and flights between Dar es Salaam and Johannesburg will commence on Friday 18 October. Plans to commence flights on fastjet's fifth Tanzanian route to the new Songwe Airport in Mbeya remain fully on track, with the first flight scheduled for 1st November.
Ed Winter, CEO and Interim Chairman commented:
"We are pleased to report better than expected passenger statistics for September, having achieved a 76% load factor despite coming out of the peak summer travel period and increasing the number of fastjet flights. This demonstrates the growing popularity of the low cost model amongst Tanzanian consumers. The start of our international route network expansion this Friday will take the fastjet brand further afield, in line with our goal of becoming truly pan African"
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All Operations Note 1
Month ending Sept 2013 Sept 2012 Change
Passengers Note 2 81,291 50,543 60.8%
Rolling 12 months ending Sept 2013 Sept 2012 Change
Passengers Note 2 934,815 628,303 48.8%
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fastjet Operations Note 4
Month ending Sept 2013 Sept 2012 Change
Passengers Note 2 32,387 0 N/A
Load Factor Note 3 76% 0 N/A
Rolling 12 months ending Sept 2013 Sept 2012 Change
Passengers Note 2 292,475 0 N/A
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Notes:
1. "All Operations" includes statistics for fastjet Tanzania, Fly540 Kenya, Fly 540 Ghana and Fly540 Angola.
2. "Passengers" for 540 operationsare flown passengers and for fastjet operations are sold seats flown, in both cases excluding infants. Fastjet bookings are generally non refundable whereas 540 bookings are in some circumstances refundable.
3. "Load Factor" is the number of 'passengers" as a percentage of the number of available seats flown.
4. "fastjet Operations" includes only statistics for Fastjet Tanzania operations which commenced on 29th November 2012
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NOTES TO EDITORS
About fastjet plc
fastjet plc is the holding company for African airlines fastjet Tanzania and Fly540, which operates in Kenya, Ghana and Angola. Flights under the fastjet brand commenced in Tanzania in November 2012. The airline has introduced Airbus A319s into its fleet. By adhering to international standards of safety, quality, security and reliability, fastjet has brought a new flying experience to the African market at unprecedented low prices. fastjet is implementing the low-cost model across Africa and its long-term strategy is to become the continent's first low-cost, pan-African airline.
The results of a recent customer satisfaction survey showed that 100% of customers were likely to recommend fastjet to a friend. In developing its strong brand and identity, fastjet has won and been nominated for a number of awards, including winning three Transform awards for the rebrand and launch of fastjet and the award for "Brand Strategy of the Year" at the recent Drum Marketing Awards in London.
fastjet plc is quoted on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market.
For more information see www.fastjet.com