Fastjet has increased the number of flights on its route between Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and Nairobi in Kenya in response to strong passenger demand.

As of 21 March 2016, fastjet is offering two daily return flights between each city every day of the week, making a total of 28 flights per week between Dar es Salaam’s Julius Nyerere International Airport and Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

The airline, which initially operated one daily flight between the two cities, has increased its flight frequency to provide passengers with a convenient early morning and evening flight service.

The morning flight departs Dar es Salaam at 06h00 and land in Nairobi at 07h20. The return flight will take off from Nairobi at 07h50, and will land back in Dar es Salaam at 09h15.

The new evening flight will depart Dar es Salaam at 20h15 and land in Nairobi at 21h35. The return flight will depart Nairobi at 22h05 and land back in Dar es Salaam at 23h30.

The expanded schedule will result in nearly 19,000 seats each month on fastjet flights between the two cities.

“We have always promised to increase the frequency on our route between Dar es Salaam and Nairobi as consumer demand grew for our affordable, safe, quick and on-time service,” said Richard Bodin, fastjet’s Chief Commercial Officer. “The combined Dar es Salaam and Nairobi population of over eight million people was previously subjected to high air fares that we believe excluded large percentages of them from air travel, but now they have a real and affordable choice of airline.”

Bodin noted that since fastjet started flying between Dar es Salaam and Nairobi, they have estimated that up to a third of its passengers are first time flyers who would otherwise not have been able to afford to travel by air between the two cities.

“The announcement of an extra 14 flights a week just two months after fastjet starting flying between the two countries on 11 January 2016 emphasizes fastjet’s commitment to grow the number of consumers who can access the convenience of affordable air travel. This is sure to have a positive impact both on lives of the county’s citizens as well as on the economic growth of both countries,” says Bodin.

“The additional evening return flights mean that passengers can schedule meetings in either Dar es Salaam or Nairobi, and travel to their destination city and back home within the same day,” said Bodin. “This convenience and choice is great for business passengers under pressure to maximize time and cost savings, and who do not want to overnight for just one or two meetings.”

Credit: aviationtribune.com