Fastjet Zimbabwe to extend A320 ops to 4Q26

Fastjet Zimbabwe (FN, Harare International) will extend the operation of its wet-leased A320-200 from Global Aviation Operations to the end of October 2026 following stronger-than-expected passenger demand, with the aircraft also set to return for the December peak travel season.

In a statement, the airline said that the 168-seater ZS-GAC (msn 2496), which entered service on August 1, 2026, to support high-demand flights between Harare International and Johannesburg O.R. Tambo and Victoria Falls and Johannesburg, had seen sustained demand from both business and leisure travellers. The aircraft had originally been scheduled to operate only during the August-September peak.

Fastjet Zimbabwe business CEO and country head Donahue Cortes said the extension would ensure sufficient capacity during October and the December festive period, adding that the airline’s recently introduced business class product had been well received by corporate and leisure passengers alike.

The A320 deployment forms part of a broader fleet evaluation that could see the type join the fleet permanently in 2027. Cortes previously said the wet lease would allow Fastjet Zimbabwe to assess the aircraft’s suitability for its network before making a long-term fleet decision.

Fastjet Group CEO Kirsten King previously said the upgauge had removed the need to source additional E145 capacity for the peak months and that larger Embraer aircraft were no longer under consideration.

Fastjet Zimbabwe had been seeking additional capacity on its flagship Harare-Johannesburg route, where it was competing with 50-seater E145s against FlySafair‘s twice-daily B737-800 services, South African Airways‘ twice-daily A320-200 operations, and Airlink (South Africa)‘s six daily E190 flights.