Fastjet increases flights, as foreign airlines pullout
Fastjet has increased the number of flights on its route between Harare and Victoria Falls in response to strong passenger demand.
The airline, which previously operated three weekly flights on the route on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, has added a Friday flight from 7 April 2017 to provide passengers with a convenient weekend away service.
Tickets for the additional flights are already on sale, with fares starting from $20 one-way, exclusive of all relevant government taxes of $18
Fastjet advises passengers to book 21 days in advance of their intended departure date to save by taking advantage of its lowest priced fares.
“Our low-cost business model allows us to keep fares low for everyone, and rewarding passengers who book early with even lower fares, is just another way that Fastjet is working to make flying even more affordable,” says Faith Chaitezvi, Fastjet regional marketing executive.
The Fastjet flights on this route depart Harare International Airport at 16h15, landing at Victoria Falls International Airport at 17h25. The return flight takes off from Victoria Falls at 17h50, landing back in Harare at 18h55.
Whilst Fastjet is expanding operations, at least five global airlines namely Qantas Airways, Lufthansa, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Air France and Delta Airlines have informed their travel agents worldwide that they have to bill their passengers in cash or stop accepting bookings altogether to avoid non-settlement of obligations from Zimbabwe’s banks, which are battling an acute shortage of foreign currency.
The world’s largest airlines have started tightening screws on liquidity-starved Zimbabwe owing to a worsening foreign currency crisis that has resulted in a huge backlog of unremitted ticket payments with some now outstanding for over 140 days.
What this effectively means is that their tickets can only be bought using hard cash, excluding bond notes, which can only act as a medium of exchange for domestic transactions.
The immediate effect would be that of restricting the movement of thousands of people who cannot access cash to enable themselves to travel to various destinations serviced by these international airlines.
It may also force law-abiding Zimbabweans to dabble in illegalities such as doing their banking outside the country’s borders, thus externalising scarce foreign currency.
click here for full story – foreign Airlines pullout
