Fly540 has signed a deal with Qatar Airways to extend the reach of the Qatar national airline to a range of domestic and regional destinations currently served by Fly 540. Under the terms of the agreement, Qatar Airways’ passengers will be able to connect with a Fly540 Kenya flight at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi and fly to destinations within Fly540 Kenya’s network using one itinerary.
This will ensure that passengers have seamless, through-baggage and hassle-free onward connections to some of Kenya’s most beautiful destinations, including Eldoret, Kisumu, Lamu, Lodwar, Malindi and Mombasa and also across the border into Juba and Zanzibar’.
Qatar Airways flies twice daily between Nairobi and Doha, where travellers can connect with flights to cities across Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. Qatar Airways said its choice of Fly540 Kenya as a interline partner reflects the Doha-based carrier's investment in East Africa as a strategic region.
A spokesperson for Fly540 Kenya said the deal demonstrated that the carrier is a credible airline that can offer a lot to airlines such as Qatar Airways. "We are delighted to have signed this interline agreement with Qatar Airways, which is our first such agreement," said Don Smith, CEO of Fly540 Kenya. "This deal expands our flight network beyond Africa and to a key growth-area of the Middle East."
Meanwhile,Fastjet’s executive chairman David Lenigas stepped down with immediate effect on June 10, and will be replaced by CEO Ed Winter on an interim basis, said the airline. Winter said Lenigas is leaving the post to concentrate on his other business ventures. Lenigras said his decision reflected a looming shift in the carrier’s operations and ownership.
"This is a time of transition for Fastjet both operationally and in terms of shareholder structure as its major shareholder, Lonrho, is likely to have a new owner in the coming weeks as a result of the current offer for Lonrho," he said. "It therefore seems to be a good time for me to step down to pursue my other interests and hand over the reins as Fastjet moves to the next stage of growth." FS Africa, representing a group of Swiss investors, agreed last month to take over Lonrho for £175m.
Lenigras’s resignation also follows the carrier’s announcement a few days back of its decision to terminate a securities deed with Bergen Global Opportunity Fund. In March, Fastjet closed a deal with the New York-based fund for £15.68m to support the airline’s growth.