The agreement will see Fastjet’s inventory available, in conjunction with Emirates inventory, through the global distribution system(s) Amadeus and Travelport and is expected to stimulate onward connecting traffic throughout Fastjet's network in East and Southern Africa. Both airlines share common markets in Tanzania, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Zambia.
Interline agreements enable travel for passengers who require flights with more than one airline to complete their full journey. "The agreement is historic for Fastjet. Fastjet has become the first African low-fare airline to engage with major global airline brands," says chief executive Nico Bezuidenhout.
Bezuidenhout adds that beyond the expected growth in connecting inbound traffic volumes, the enablement of trade and tourism will be significant: "Fastjet connects international hubs with major urban centres in our markets; in Tanzania, for example, travellers would be able to seamlessly connect between Dar es Salaam and Mwanza, Kilimanjaro and Mbeya all of which support various industry and tourism nodes."
The United Nations World Tourism Organisation reported an 8% increase in international arrivals to sub-Saharan Africa last year, while the World Bank’s Economic Development in Africa Report 2017 forecast that growth in tourism to Africa will rise from today’s 50 million annual visitors to more than 130 million by 2030.
"Emirates is one of the leading carriers with more than 18% market share of all inbound traffic into Africa. The interline agreement will have a significant impact on tourism and business travel as Fastjet destinations become accessible to a substantially sized, new market," concludes Bezuidenhout.
