fastjet launches "SmartClass" and "Freighty" services

SmartClass 

From 1st September, fastjet will offer its passengers the opportunity to purchase a premium fare, or 'SmartClass', on all its flights. By upgrading to SmartClass, passengers will enjoy advance premium seat allocation, an increased baggage allowance of up to 32kg, and the ability to change flight dates as many times as required at no additional cost. 

Smartclass fares will start at $160 one way plus government taxes for domestic flights and $450 for international routes. 

Freighty 

fastjet's international passengers can carry up to 80 Kilos of hold luggage by purchasing its 'freighty' upgrade package.  This package is designed to appeal to those that fly with fastjet to either collect or purchase wholesale produce from the port and markets in Dar es Salaam to sell in their home markets. fastjet discovered that while these traders were using fastjet to travel to Dar es Salaam, they were using ground transportation to get back home. In the case of Harare for example, this equates to a 3 day bus journey. The freighty upgrade will offer passengers the opportunity to return home on a fastjet flight.   

The cost of the freight upgrade package is $80 for baggage weighing up to eighty kilograms. 

Chief commercial officer Richard Bodin said: "After extensive research, we concluded that whilst all our passengers love our prices, on time performance and service, some require an enhanced experience when booking and flying with us. By creating SmartClass we can provide additional flexibility, quick disembarkation from the front rows, and the ability to travel with a baggage allowance more appropriate to the needs of today's business traveller - all as part of a single, simple, all-inclusive fare. 

"We have also learnt a great deal from talking to our international passengers on flights from Harare and Lusaka and their feedback has led us to introduce the innovative 'freighty' product.  It's a simple product enhancement, which is easy to administer and will allow our passengers to benefit from the large capacity of our aircrafts holds. 

We will continue to innovate and adapt the low cost model to fit the demands of our African customers, the market opportunities and the infrastructure in which we operate and in doing so also effectively diversify fastjet's revenue streams."