fastJet Passenger Statistics for November 2013

RNS Number : 6909V

Fastjet PLC

17 December 2013

 



fastjet plc

("fastjet" or the "Company")

17 December 2013

fastJet Passenger Statistics for November 2013

fastjet Plc is pleased to announce its passenger statistics for the month of November 2013.  fastjet operations in Tanzania carried a total of 33,301 passengers achieving an average load factor of 72 per cent. Capacity decreased slightly from October 2013 due to temporary night-landing restrictions at Mwanza airport.

Punctuality remained excellent with 98 per cent of flights operating on time ^{Note 5}.

Ed Winter, interim Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of fastjet, said: "We are very pleased to have achieved an average load factor of 72 per cent across the network in November, a traditionally weak month with travel down ahead of the festive season.

"Our newly-launched Dar es Salaam - Mbeya route continues to prove extremely popular to the point that we have increased frequency to a flight every day from 16th December.  Additionally, flights are now on sale for our second international route, Dar es Salaam to Lusaka, which is planned to launch on 1^st February 2014.  This route will link two strong commercial hubs - indeed, the port in Dar es Salaam is Zambia's closest sea port.

"On 29th November we celebrated the first anniversary of our inaugural flight.  Over the past 12 months we have established a reputation for reliability and punctuality unprecedented in African aviation, giving our customers the confidence to plan ahead and book seats early.  Our brand is now one of the best known in Tanzania and is becoming increasingly recognised throughout Africa.  Our customers rate all aspects of our service as excellent and on Facebook we are the most "liked" airline in Africa.  Most importantly, we believe we have stimulated demand by making air-travel accessible to more people with many of our customers being first-time flyers.

"To date, we have carried over 350,000 passengers with an average load factor of 73% on each flight and 11% of our customers paying only $20 plus tax for their flight.  As we enter our second year of operation, I believe we have now laid firm foundations for our expansion towards becoming a truly pan-African low-cost airline."

Richard Bodin, Chief Commercial Officer, commented:

"We are delighted so far with our sales for the important Christmas period.  Whilst it's still early days,  indications are that December bookings and revenues will be strong. We have already seen flights filling up quickly and we are recording historically high yields.  We are also seeing increases in ancillary revenue sales.

"Additionally,  our anniversary sales event last month proved successful. Focusing on selling seats in the traditionally weak post-Christmas period, we recorded our best ever sales day, selling more seats in 24 hours than ever before whilst achieving a better than expected yield."

______________________________________________________________________________         

All Operations ^{Note 1}

Month ending                                                   Nov 2013                    Nov 2012                           Change

Passengers ^{Note 2}                                               84,727                          65,630                                 29.1%

Rolling 12 months ending                            Nov 2013                    Nov 2012                            Change

Passengers ^{Note 2}                                               986,423                        660,808                              49.3%

_______________________________________________________________________________

fastjet Operations ^{Note 4}

Month ending                                                   Nov 2013                    Nov 2012                            Change

Passengers ^{Note 2}                                               33,301                          1,853                                    N/A

Load Factor ^{Note 3}                                               72%                               80%                                      N/A

Rolling 12 months ending                            Nov 2013                     Nov 2012                           Change

Passengers ^{Note 2}                                               357,580                        1,853                                    N/A

_______________________________________________________________________________

Notes:

1.  "All Operations" includes statistics for fastjet Tanzania, Fly540 Kenya, Fly 540 Ghana and Fly540 Angola.

2.  "Passengers" for 540 operations are flown passengers and for fastjet operationsare 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 29^th November 2012

 5.  "on time" - arrival earlier than or within 15 minutes of schedule.

For media enquiries please contact:

UK media - Citigate Dewe Rogerson                                                       Tel: [phone]

Toby Moore

Eleni Menikou

South African media - Tribeca Public Relations                                  Tel: [phone]

Cian Mac Eochaidh

Kelly Webster

For investor enquiries please contact:

W.H. Ireland Ltd.                                                                                              Tel: [phone]

James Joyce

Nick Field

NOTES TO EDITORS

About fastjet plc

fastjet plc is the holding company for African airline Fly540, which operates in Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana and Angola. Flights under the fastjet brand commenced in Tanzania in November 2012. The airline has introduced Airbus A319s into its fleet and 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.

fastjet plc is quoted on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market. For more information see www.fastjet.com

 

END

 

 

MSCZMMMZFVMGFZZ