fastjet plans first international route, delays South African domestic launch

fastjet's contorted strategies to develop a planned pan-South African LCC network continue to twist and turn, with the Tanzania-based carrier changing tack once again, this time shelving plans to launch domestic operations in South Africa in favour of commencing international services from Dar es Salaam. The London-listed carrier has been granted bilateral rights by Tanzania to operate international routes to South Africa, Zambia and Rwanda.

fastjet had intended to launch twice daily domestic services on South Africa's busiest domestic route between Johannesburg and Cape Town in early Jul-2013 as part of a joint venture with South African investment company FastJet Holdings (previously Blockbuster) and charter carrier Federal Air, which was to have operated the route with a wet-leased 737-300.

In addition the carrier has entered into an MoU with Nigeria's Red 1 Airways to expand the brand to West Africa, apparently under a new model in which local partners take a majority stake in the venture using the fastjet brand. Red 1 reportedly consists of a group of Nigerian investors interested in launching a new carrier in Western Africa.