Fly540 Kenya
FlySAX
East Africa’s premier low-cost airline
East Africa’s leading safari airline
Mr. Don Smith, CEO Fly540 Kenya and FlySAX with two0 of the Airline’s pilots
café in Langata House at Wilson Airport. Also, we pride ourselves on pioneering new and previously unservised destinations such as Kitale, Kakamega and Wajir.
Fly540 Kenya is East Africa’s premier lowcost airline; and FlySAX is a leading safari airline. Best of Kenya spoke to Mr. Don Smith, CEO of Fly540 Kenya and FlySAX on the airline’s remarkable niche in Kenya. Herewith excerpts: Where do you fly? Both Fly540 Kenya and Fly SAX are based in Nairobi, operating from the Jomo Kenyatta International and Wilson airports. From here, Fly540 passengers can travel to seven destinations across three countries Eldoret, Kisumu, Lamu, Lodwar, Malindi and Mombasa, in Kenya, Juba in South Sudan, and Zanzibar in Tanzania. The most popular Fly540 route is between Nairobi and Mombasa, with five flights from the capital to the port city every day. With SAX, we take our passengers to the best safari and beach destinations in Kenya, including Amboseli, Kakamega, Kilimanjaro, Kitale, Lamu, Maasai Mara, Nanyuki, Ukunda, Wajir and Watamu. We have recently launched flights to the Comoro Islands. How long have you been flying? Fly540 Kenya took to the skies in November, 2006, with flights between Nairobi and Mombasa using a 48-seat ATR 42-320
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We are able to deliver great service, thanks to the dedication of our staff. Our cabin crew and ground staff as well as our team of experienced engineers and technicians have had extensive training, both regionally and internationally, and are licensed by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority to practise.
turbo-prop aircraft. Due to the instant popularity of our value-for-money flights, we soon expanded our fleet and increased our destinations network with more domestic routes, and then, in 2010, commenced our international flights with services to Tanzania and South Sudan. We launched SAX in 2012 after the promulgation of the new Constitution of Kenya. Our maiden flight was from Nairobi to the Maasai Mara.
Who flies with you? Most of our passengers with SAX are holiday-makers: many are from Kenya or elsewhere on the continent, but we also have a lot of international travellers. With Fly540, our passenger base is much broader. We’ll have business travellers going to a meeting, retailers transporting their goods, families going to visit friends and relatives, and holiday-makers all on the same flight! As a low-cost airline, we cater for all travellers.
Why is a low-cost airline like Fly540 good for people in Kenya? The availability of low-cost air travel gives the people of Kenya more freedom and options – whether this is for work or pleasure. Fly540 was the first low-cost airline in Africa to provide intra-country flights, and domestic flights outside of South Africa. Previously, it was a choice between a prohibitively costly flight or a long and uncomfortable journey by road. When we started flying, it was the first time that the general public in Kenya could affordably and conveniently travel by air. What makes you different from your competitors? The key difference between travelling with Fly540 Kenya and another airline is the cost. We’re a low cost airline and so our prices are significantly lower than those of other airlines flying to the same destinations. At the same
Do you have any partnerships? Technical Expertise
time, we believe that affordable travel should still be enjoyable and so we provide our passengers with certain comforts that are not offered by all low-cost airlines – such as serving complimentary refreshments on all flights and giving 20kg of baggage allowance per person at no extra cost. Similarly, with SAX, we aim to provide our passengers with a smooth and comfortable service, which is why we have a dedicated sales and check-in area, alongside our own
We recently expanded our Fly540 Kenya flight network by forming a partnership with Qatar Airways, an award-winning global airline based in Doha, Qatar. This deal was our first ever international interline agreement, which is beginning with an inbound service for passengers arriving in Kenya – providing them with direct access and quick transit times to a range of destinations that weren’t previously accessible through a single itinerary. We also utilise our relationships with hotels and other travel providers at the destinations
we serve to offer our passengers great packages, which are available on the Fly540 Kenya website (www.fly540.com) and also by signing-up through the website to receive special offers by SMS and email. How do you contribute to the economy of Kenya? We directly contribute to the economy as an employer: for Fly540 and SAX combined, we have over 300 staff in Nairobi and many more elsewhere in Kenya. More importantly, with affordable air travel, everyone in Kenya can participate in the business world – enabling the growth of local businesses as well as an increase in productivity with quicker transport of both people and freight. Fly540 Kenya also supports economic development in Kenya by increasing aviation connectivity in providing flights to areas previously not connected by scheduled services. At the same time, improving travel within Kenya – through the availability of our own flights as well as through partnerships such as our agreement with Qatar Airways – helps to attract greater inward investment from abroad with an increase in business visitors and tourists. Your website says that you work with local communities: How important is this to you? We are passionate about supporting the local communities of the destinations we serve. Not only are we obligated as a business, but giving something back to society empowers our workers to connect with their local communities and become proud employees of the company that they represent. We provide extensive financial and physical support to social charities and organisations
– such as orphanages, hospices and schools – and also environmental, such as the Mount Kenya Trust. Equally, we know it is important to invest in those closer home. Every year, we provide apprenticeships and training to 50 people without any, or only with minimal, qualifications – half of whom end up being employed by Fly540 after completion of the programme. What is the future of aviation in Africa? Aviation in Africa is set to grow exponentially. As the continent continues to develop, there is an ever-increasing demand for air travel from within Africa and also outside, which is demonstrated by international airlines forming partnerships with local carriers. In addition, with the establishment of low-cost airlines, such as Fly540 Kenya, enabling ordinary people to travel by air, this demand is broadening. Kenya, in particular, will benefit from this expansion as it is a key hub for travellers coming into the continent. As a result, we are very excited about the future of aviation in Africa, and we look forward to welcoming many more passengers and taking them to new and exciting destinations with Fly540 Kenya and SAX! Contact us Fly 540 +254 728 540 540, +254 710 540 540, +254 727 532 275, +254 737 540 540, +254 734 540 540 +254 733 540 540, info@fly540.com Fly Sax JKIA: 0702 305 305, 0711 305 305, 0714 305 305 Email: reservations@fly-sax.com Wilson Airport: 0704 305 305, or 0706 305 305
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