Low cost pan-African airline fastjet has announced they will be operating daily flights to Zanzibar from Johannesburg from 11 January 2016, in response to strong passenger and tour operator demand from within the South African market.

Return flight ticket prices to the Spice Island from Johannesburg start at R3 564, including all airport and government taxes.

This low cost option offers significantly lower prices than the average R7 336 per return flight during the months of December 2015, January and February 2016, the airline says.

Flights will depart Zanzibar at 09:30 every morning and land in Johannesburg at 13:20, with the return flight from Johannesburg departing at 14:10 every day, and landing in Zanzibar at 19:40 again.

From 11 January to 21 March 2016, the airline will not operate flights from Zanzibar to Johannesburg on Mondays and Fridays. After 21 March, however, daily flights both ways will commence.

The direct flights in both directions will involve a short 30 minute stopover in Dar es Salaam, but Zanzibar/Johannesburg passengers will not need to disembark the aircraft and all luggage will be checked directly through to the final destination.

Services between Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport and Zanzibar’s Abeid Amani Karume International Airport will operate using fastjet’s modern Airbus A319 jet aircraft with seating for up to 156 passengers.

Tickets for the Zanzibar flights are on sale immediately, with one way fares from Johannesburg starting from R1 704, and fares from Zanzibar starting at R1 860.

Bookings can be made online, through travel agents or by contacting fastjet’s South African call centre on 011 289 8090.

The low cost airline says it wants to create the opportunity for South Africans to have a island breakaway.

“South Africans pay extortionate fares for regional African air travel. The lack of competition on many routes keeps prices artificially high, making air travel and exploring beautiful holiday destinations like Zanzibar beyond the reach of most” and fastjet wants to change that, Richard Bodin for fastjet says.

News24.com