DALLAS — Here follows a review of a scheduled flight operated by Zimbabwe’s privately owned value carrier, Fastjet (FN).

On December 8, I flew on FN (flight FN 8507) from Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, to Johannesburg, South Africa. Flying with Zimbabwe’s independent airline was a pleasant experience. 

I checked in online via FN’s website the day before. Online check-in opens 24 hours before flight departures. I was mailed a digital boarding pass after completing this. The flight was scheduled to depart Victoria Falls International Airport (VFA) at 12.35. I arrived at VFA two hours before the scheduled flight departure.

Check-in was at counters 01 and 02 in the international terminal. Having checked in online, I needed only to drop off my baggage. 

The bag drop service was handled efficiently at counter 2. I then made my way through security, which was surprisingly fast – even though all passengers had to remove their footwear. Immigration was also quick despite only two officers being on duty then.

I proceeded to Departure Gate 1, located on the ground level, since passengers must walk from the gate to the aircraft. Boarding was supposed to commence at 11.55, but this was delayed due to the late arrival of the incoming aircraft.

Boarding the ERJ 145

Boarding began in groups at 12.30 due to the oppressive heat in Victoria Falls. This was to prevent exposure to the heat when standing out on the tarmac in queues. 

I was among the second group to board FN’s Embraer ERJ 145 (registration Z-FJF). The single-aisle aircraft offers an all-economy class cabin with a 1 – 2 seating configuration. 

The door was closed once all passengers had entered the aircraft, and inflight announcements were made. I was seated in seat 3 C, a window seat behind the galley. The comfortable leather seat had plenty of legroom.

Despite being a smaller aircraft, the cabin was light and spacious. The 50-seater aircraft had one crew member in the cabin and two in the cockpit. The first officer announced that the plane would reach a cruising altitude of 37,000 feet. For safety reasons, passengers were advised to fasten their seatbelts for the duration of the flight. 

The cabin was sprayed (with an aerosol insecticide) before departure. The spraying process involves using a non-harmful insecticide approved by the World Health Organization. This is a requirement for aircraft heading into South Africa. 

The aircraft pulled away at 12.50, heading toward the runway. By 12.55, it was airborne. After the seatbelt light was turned off, cabin service began. A snack box containing a chocolate bar, fruit juice, and a packet of protein chips was offered. In addition, each passenger was offered a chicken-mayo sandwich with a bottle of water. 

Inflight catering is available free of charge to all passengers. Cabin crew member Ropa was professional, polite, and attentive. This contributed to an excellent inflight experience.

Flight to Johannesburg

The Zimbabwe airline keeps a close eye on sustainability. The inflight offerings did not include any heavy glassware or silverware. The snack box was produced from cardboard. This makes the aircraft lighter and thus helps it to burn less fuel. Single-use plastic (cling wrap) was not used.

In addition, FN encourages customers to upscale their snack boxes. The top of the box can be upcycled and used as a bookmark.

After a pleasant and uneventful flight, the ERJ-145 aircraft descended into Johannesburg at 14.00. No turbulence was experienced en route despite the heatwave passing through Southern Africa. 

The approach to Johannesburg's O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB) offered some panoramic aerial views of South Africa’s largest city. The aircraft touched down at JNB at 14.20. Following a smooth landing, it taxied to a parking bay across from the international terminal building. 

After coming to a stop, the stairs were lowered, and passengers disembarked, row by row. A bus was waiting to ferry passengers to the terminal building. Immigration was reasonably fast since few flights arrived at this time of day. 

Baggage was speedily delivered on Carousel number 1. Customs formalities were equally quick since there were few arriving passengers.

Bottom Line

In conclusion, flight FN 8507 from Victoria Falls was very pleasant. The value carrier provides numerous benefits over low-cost carriers. Indeed, it offers services comparable to those of a full-service airline. 

The efficient passenger handling, comfortable seating, and superior inflight services satisfy customers.

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