Fastjet’s FedAir division slashes fleet as safari market dries up

Fastjet Group’s Federal Airlines division has entered a restructuring process and given up most of its aircraft after a severe downturn in its business conducting shuttle and charter services to safari reserves in southern Africa. FedAir primarily serves US and European tourists but the coronavirus situation has badly affected these originating markets. Most of FedAir’s passengers have deferred travel into the fourth quarter of 2020 or the first half of 2021, the summer season in the southern hemisphere. As a result the carrier is not expecting substantial shuttle or charter bookings for “at least the next six months”, says Fastjet Group, with passengers only starting to return from December. FedAir has laid off 55% of its full-time personnel, while the rest have had salaries cut or modified. It has retained a limited number of crew members to operate its six remaining aircraft, which will form the core fleet for the remainder of the year.<br/>