Flightlover From Moldova, joined Mar 2004, 338 posts, RR: 10 Posted (3 months 2 weeks 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 1655 times:
I am in the dark as to the reliability and quality of FastJet's service on the DAR-JRO route. I am planning a trip to Tanzania in June and when first learning last fall that a new low-cost was being launched in Tanzania I got super-excited. Now, four months later I am still undecided as to whether I should buy a ticket with them. There's no mention of their flights on the Kilimanjaro Airport website, which seems to be updated frequently. I have contacted FastJet's customer service by email and received no answer. Their booking system, which allows for purchase of tickets through some sort of local mobile payment system M-Pesa, or through a travel agency, limits the options to buy tickets for people outside of Tanzania.
So, my question is has anyone flown this company? How is their service, their reliability? Is there a likelihood they might fold soon because of various debt issues and unpaid bills highlighted in a number of media sources? Why is their customer service not responding and is there a chance they might be accepting credit card payments anytime soon?
LHRBFSTrident From UK - Northern Ireland, joined Nov 2006, 628 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (3 months 2 weeks 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 1494 times:
I was in DAR and ZNZ over the New Year and saw at least 3 FastJet A319 (A320?) a/c on the ground - from what I could see they are only operating to Mwanza right now. The website gives no indication as to when the other services will begin, AFAIK.
They seem to be pretty slick as an outfit - with all the right equipment in place, advertising and functional website - but in the same breath I would say that things in Africa happen quite differently from other places so whatever is accurate today, may not necessarily be accurate tomorrow.
If you are travelling in June, then I think you have time to sit and wait to see how things progress.
Locally and anecdotally the people we met say Precsion is the most reliable airline regionally in TZ, and the others are less so.
FWIW we were able to purchase tickets online with Precision, the day before travel, for the same 'discounted' fare we had been seeing for months beforehand: it all worked electronically and perfectly: however a printout was necessary to enter the terminal...so much for paperless travel
Next up: LAX-LHR NZ002 Y SkyCouch! LHR-LAX NZ001 Y
Flightlover From Moldova, joined Mar 2004, 338 posts, RR: 10 Reply 3, posted (3 months 2 weeks 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 1172 times:
This is what I was worried about. It seems more and more problems are surfacing and it is unclear what the future of this airline will look like in a couple of months.
Pe@rson From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2001, 18832 posts, RR: 54 Reply 4, posted (3 months 2 weeks 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 1154 times:
I wouldn't particularly worry given the backing. All airlines have teething problems* - and it seems unsurprising that it would be more bumpy still in Africa - and the $2m bill isn't huge vis-a-vis capital requirements for starting airlines. Unless the price differential between Fastjet and Precision is sufficiently small, I wouldn't mind buying a ticket on Fastjet. (* And most airlines have continuous financial problems thereafter.)
Note that their Facebook page is pretty good and they seem to reply fairly quickly.
I presume that their DAR-JRO flights are operating given the ability to purchase it for tomorrow and thereafter.
Flightlover From Moldova, joined Mar 2004, 338 posts, RR: 10 Reply 6, posted (3 months 1 week 5 days 4 hours ago) and read 932 times:
Thanks. I would still be extremely grateful to hear from anyone who has flown FastJet over the past few months. I am sure there must be airliners.net members who have been on their flights.
eastafspot From France, joined Jan 2008, 473 posts, RR: 4 Reply 8, posted (3 months 1 week 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 517 times:
So i've just flown Fastjet this morning and also read the aforementioned rumours on the newspaper too about the license and the bills etc...
as Pe@rson said and another member (Migair) told me, i would not worry too much...
so to make it short, i had not pre book a ticket due to the restrictions that you've mentionned, but "luckily" the agents sold me the "last" ticket for TZS 123.000 (full fare?) and had no carry on luggage. You should check with PW for cheaper ticket in advance.
In flight, there no difference with another lowcost, BOB menu is moderately priced, and crew half British (cockpit crew + Senior Pursuer) and half Tanzanian (cabin crew).
the good thing is their flight schedules, though departing at the same time as the PW flight this morning on this sector.
To make it simple, this is a good airlines for Tanzanian and locals living in Arusha - Moshi, Mwanza, DAR and/or having Vodacom as phone operator....
A fully detailed TR should follow in the TR section, hopefully, at the end of the week
Hope that helps
Leonard
[Edited 2013-02-12 02:00:46]
Fly with Air Burundi, Air Tanzania, Air Uganda, Kenya Airways and Rwandair...Jumuiya ya Afrika mashariki
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