Fastjet has rejected reports that acting President Guy Scott used his influence to grant Fastjet Zambia its Air Services Licence.
“Fastjet had applied for a Zambian ASL and looks forward to receiving a decision from the Zambian Government in due course,” the company said in a statement.
“The company fully complied with all the necessary regulations and followed the correct and official procedures with regards its application.”
Fastjet has since been granted an air service permit in Zambia and permission to operate flights from Uganda to Juba, Nairobi, Kigali and Johannesburg.
The company says the ASP approval marks a major step towards launching operations in Zambia and will give the airline the authority to operate air services to both domestic and international destinations within and from Zambia.
Fastjet Zambia Ltd is now focused on continuing the submission of the necessary documents and manuals to complete the application process for an air operating certificate (AOC) which will then allow the commencement of operations.
Fastjet plc interim chairman and chief executive Ed Winter said: “We have been working tirelessly to roll out the fastjet model across the region and obtaining the ASP in Zambia is a really positive step forward. We still have to obtain the full AOC, but this vote of confidence from the authorities is a major step along that road.
“Timescales before the first flight will be dependent on the time taken for the authorities to review the AOC application documents. We look forward to going on sale and commencing operations in Zambia once that process has been completed.”
Citing sources in the Zambian Ministry of Transport and Communications, the Zambian Watchdog news site claimed the LCC’s application had been fast tracked to Minister Yamfwa Mukanga’s desk with allegations the process was pushed through on Dr Scott’s direction.
A 49/51 joint venture with a local investor, Fastjet Zambia began its certification earlier this year with plans to offer domestic Zambian and regional services by year-end.
Fastjet has stated it intends to base three A319-100s out of Lusaka once operations have been established.
However, some local operators have expressed reservations about Fastjet’s entry into the Zambian market with concerns the airline could undercut and ultimately drive them out of business.
I smell master splinter size rat from the Ninja turtles here.
The more the merrier!
Kuti Waseka, As much as we appreciated the Dubrava and Tata buses in the 70s and 80s with a gear stick coming from half way down the bus to the driver, we are happier with the Marcopolos Irizars and all. That’s what competition is about. Modernisation. We need new aircraft and if the new comers bring them in yes the Zambians will fly them. Otherwise pull your socks up whichever airlines you are crying about Fastjet Zambia. Its good for the Nation
@Cat power You try the same in Europe where Fastjet has its headquarters lets see how you will start up in the name of competition. ..you will not have easy as just an okay from one dull selfish corrupt minister.
Yaba kuti waseka who cares about driving u out business Niga pull yo business ass. Why should we k3million lsk to stone behemoth samilar distance in UK these guys charge 300pin £30 easy jet zambians be exposed
We need competition, so that Zambians can have options. the current air operators are very expensive.
welcome Fast-jet though change the name to have some Zambian flagship. something like Jet-Zambia?
We need competition, in the country, that way, the tickets,
Will be cheaper. It’s healthy for the country to have a number of airline, operating in the country.
Say bye bye to Proflight and any local airline..its all good saying hooray for competition but that’s not how the airline sector operates only they ones with deeper pockets survive and weak are priced out. Zambian politicians have again messed up on this decision another reason why institutions should be tasked with such decisions instead on ministers who are easily bribed…I hope the next govt gives more power to our institutions.
Actually pro flight as been working with fastjet since the beginning of this year…you could book tickets for both companies through a shared scheme, I’m just surprised it’s taking this long for it to happen
Why would Fastjet need them now? Clearly you are not a business man. ..this company would simply reduce the ticket fare and price them out.
And you will doing what you do best giving money to foreign firms.
Zambian’s need to embrace competition, this way the market is healthier and prices are properly controlled and options are wide open for end user customers. Competitors don’t focus on crying foul, focus on improving your standards and business operations and become better. Pull your socks up kwati kalu pama free kick…
This is what you people do not understand about the African airspace its not as liberalised like in Europe. ..Kenyan government wont let you fly your aircraft in and out of Nairobi at will as they have vested interest in Kenyan Airlines. If African skies were opened up local airlines like Proflight would have more lucrative flights routes inturn have more access to lending options to expand its fleet with better aircraft and employ locals…what you are doing here is giving unfair advantage to a foreign firm in your back yard that is based abroad.
When are we going wake up and look at the bigger picture.
wake up! !
So muzungu opusa is also corrupt te, I wish Zambia can wake up. Am an aviator working here in RSA but u ll not just see companies comin from nowhere. As much as I appreciate competition but they should given proflight a breathing space. In Zambia as long as u bribe someone, its done. Look what they did by giving south African bus companies license to operate there but vice versa it’s not possible. I am really looking forward to seeing this muzungu opusa out.
Exactly tell these people; they cant see it…they would embrace a McDonald’s at every corner even if it imported all it products that happen to be GMO foods from USA and the Zambian farmer didn’t benefit in the name of competition…our people are too docile and passive please enlighten them.
I once used Fastjet to Dar. I was proceeding to Kenya and thought that I would pay a similar amount to Nairobi going by the distances. Unfortunately Fastjet does not serve that route. What other airlines were charging was more than 100% what Fastjet would charge for that distance. I ended up using a bus lost time and wet through all the usual road travel inconveniences. I look forward to Fastjet operating in Zambia. It will make flying cheap for an average Zambian and improve business tremendously. With such tremendous advantage to the economy and general population why should it be an issue if some exorbitant local airlines that are exploiting us for the benefit of a few are pushed out? My prayer is that Fastjet maintains the same pricing policy.
And have you sat down and asked yourself why local African airlines are very expensive ….have you wondered for a second why? Do you even know the shareholders behind Fastjet? This is the selfsame reason mining firms are stealing billions right under our noises as we only interested in casual labouring….never interested in the bigger picture merely interested in being consumers.
Yes, my mind is a fetid cesspool of suspicion. Please excuse me, but the following phrases keep running through my mind with this.
kith and kin
Acting President
wako ni wako
interim Chairman
uk industry
Keith Mlevu
Zambian industry
ifintu ni bwangu
Good 4 competition,another company dat needs competition is multi choice,it has enjoyed monopoly 4 a very long tyn nw,we need another company to offer us cheaper pay tv services
The charges are ridiculous. K500 per month. You would buy a brand new colour TV in 3 months. I understand the charges are lower in RSA.
But you have been paying these hidieous subscriptions for 20 years…if you were voted with your feet….they would have reduced.
wake up and get organised !!
This is health. Zambia operates on a free market. What would be sad if true is if there was corruption and abuse of authority in awarding the authorisation.otherwise competition will ensure that pricing regulates itself due to market forces. We are likely to see a downward price adjustment as a result of this.
For the complaining competitors, just ensure to study the market again. You don’t do this once,but invest in the studies to see if you’re doing justice to the people. Viva free market economy
It’s parable time!!
There were 2 women, each had a husband and 6-month old baby.
One woman would cook a meal (say nsima, chicken and vegetables, place it on the dining table and went away. Everyone was free to eat.
Woman number 2 cooked the same meal, but she was wise. She realised that her 6-month old baby needed nurturing still. He could not get to the table, he could not handle the hot nsima or cut the chicken for himself. So she made small lutoshis, cut the chicken into teeny weeny bits and juiced the vegetables. While her husband ate, the baby also ate. She knew that for now she needed to nuture the baby so he could grow to be a big strong self-sufficient boy like his father. Then he could sit and eat at the same table with his father.
Capish??
There is no such thing as a free market…you try to export to the EEC or USA…you will be hit with so much paper work and blue tape than it will be economically impossible.
Wake up!!
Yes this is good for competition, but I will tell you what will happen. They will reduce fares not for our benefit but to push Local competitors out of business, then allow the fares to “creep” up back to normal citing aviation fuel, taxes, cost of doing business in Zambia (another name for corruption in Zambia) etc there is no shortage of reasons. Without strong government regulation and with our corruption, that will happen as surely as night and day.
There’s always someone who wants to protect the old-style profiteers – maybe they like being ripped off, who knows.
Europe has had cheap flights for 20 years – why do people want Africa to be denied?
Ask your African governments. ..they are the ones protecting their airspace! !
Please read JAY JAY’s comments/arguments on this thread, they are very important and eye openning. Thanks.
@Jay Jay
Yes to everything you’ve said. You have explained succinctly and patiently and made your points well. Anyone that is interested in understanding the impact of this simply has to take a few minutes to read your comments.
Zambians suffer from low self-esteem, they would sell their country for a few bon bons. The West protects it’s own, like Jay Jay said, they would bury you in paper work and regulations till you couldn’t even pronounce “air service permit”!
Thank you Jay Jay.
@ jay jay…could you pls enlighten me on the policy of airspace in europe nd africa. I observe ’emotional’ comments here than well thought contributions. Because of this atitude we have allowed the chines to sell ‘VITUMBUWA’ in our markets in the name of competition!
Yes.They taught you platitudes and a code to live by, that they themselves only pay lip service to.
“But were a christian nation”
“Racism is bad”
“But it’s good for competition”
“Investors will come because of Scott”
“God will show us the way”
“The UK must fund our elections”
“Let them come so we pay low prices”
Stop it! Read, read, read between the lines. Ask those that may understand it better than you can. Your question should always be “Is this good for me? my country? future descendants?”. If the answer is no to any of these then you’re being fleeced.
These African governments signed an ‘open skies’ agreement 20 years to open up their skies and to date none of has abided by it as they are too greedy to see the bigger picture they would rather protect their loss msking government owned airlines.