Restructuring of Fly 540 Angola and Ghana

 

fastjet, Africa’s low cost airline, today confirms that as previously announced, two of its loss-making Fly540 businesses are being restructured with the objective of increasing shareholder value. The Fly540 businesses operate on a traditional airline model and not the fastjet low cost model.

 

After a detailed evaluation of the potential of Fly540 in both Ghana and Angola, fastjet has concluded that, although these countries present very significant long-term opportunities for the fastjet low cost model, in the short term fastjet intends to fully focus on the considerable potential of opportunities in East and Southern Africa. 

 

As a key part of the restructuring, two group-owned ATR aircraft previously operating in Ghana and Angola have been taken out of service and are currently in the process of being sold.  While a leased aircraft continues to operate in Ghana, the Angolan operation has been temporarily suspended, pending the return to service of two leased aircraft on completion of required maintenance.  Further details on the restructuring of both 540 operations will be announced in due course.

 

Fastjet interim chairman and CEO, Ed Winter, said: “Management has been carefully considering how best to restructure the Fly540 business which we inherited and this is a highly significant and very positive development in that process.

 

“We are currently focused on expanding the low cost fastjet network in East and Southern Africa by establishing bases in Zambia, Kenya and South Africa and these plans are progressing well.  However, our overall vision is to create a pan-African low-cost network and, as such, launching the low cost fastjet model in both Angola and Ghana remains firmly part of the Company’s long-term plans.”

IATA appoints new Area Manager for Southern Africa

 

GENEVA, Switzerland – Mr. Janaurieu (Jan) D’Sa has been appointed Area Manager for Southern Africa, based in Johannesburg, with the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Mr D’Sa is currently IATA’s Assistant Director Industry Distribution and Financial Services for the Africa & Middle East region, managing a 50-strong team responsible for Industry Settlement Systems and based in Amman, Jordan. He will take up his new position based in IATA’s Johannesburg office early next month.

 

Mr. D’Sa, who reports to Mr Raphael Kuuchi, IATA’s new Vice President for Africa, is responsible for IATA’s activities and industry and stakeholder affairs in South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and Angola. Prior to joining IATA in 2002, Mr D’Sa worked in the telecommunications and security industries.

 

The Area Manager Southern Africa appointment marks Mr D’Sa’s return to the region. Prior to his current assignment in Jordan, Mr D’Sa served IATA’s member airlines as the body’s regional manager for Safety, Operations & Infrastructure and Industry Settlement Systems between 2005-2010.

 

Source: eturbonews

TAAG Angola to Increase Harare flights

According to reports by Agencia AngolaPress, Angolan Airline (TAAG) will increase its current Harare frequency to 4 weekly. A new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed this week between the Civil Aviation Authorities of both Zimbabwe and Angola. The new bilateral agreement allows TAAG to increase flight frequencies on the Luanda-Harare-Lusaka route to 4 per week with the possibility of fifth freedom rights. Currently no official schedule is available yet for the increase.

Source: Agencia AngolaPress