18th May 2015 07:48
LONDON (Alliance News) - Fastjet PLC Monday said it has signed a letter of intent with ICBC International Leasing Co Ltd to lease a A319-131 aircraft, which it will add to its fleet as it seeks to expand its operations and add further routes to its network.
The low-cost airline, which operates in Africa, currently has a fleet of three aircraft which is almost fully utilised, it said, and therefore additional aircraft will be required to support the planned expansion of fastjet Tanzania and to facilitate the start-up of planned new fastjet operations in Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The new aircraft is the first of a number that fastjet is planning to add to its fleet this year, with each additional aircraft able to make up to 1,000 more seats per day available to its customers. Based on the 75% load factor currently being projected, each aircraft is expected to carry approximately 275,000 passengers per year, fastjet said.
According to Airbus, the A319 is a shortened-fuselage version of its A320 single-aisle jetliner. In addition to a standard 124-seat configuration with a range of up to 3,740 nautical miles, Airbus said it offers the A319 with an option popular with low-cost airlines for a seating capacity of up to 156 passengers.
Fastjet said the new aircraft is expected to go into service in the third quarter of 2015.
"It will be a strong step forward to add another aircraft to our fleet and embark on our planned expansion funded by our recent GBP50 million placing. We are currently negotiating to bring further aircraft into the fleet," Chief Executive Officer Ed Winter said in a statement.
Fastjet's target is to have up to 34 aircraft operating to 40 destinations within and from Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Kenya and Uganda by the end of 2018.
Shares in fastjet were up 3.00% to 120.00 pence early Monday.
By Karolina Kaminska; [email protected] @KarolinaAllNews
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