{{Update|date=September 2024}}{{Short description|Kenyan airline}}

{{Infobox Airline |airline = Eastafrican |logo = Ea-logo-web-transparent.png |fleet_size = 5 |destinations = 17 |IATA = B5 <ref name="ch">{{cite web | url=http://www.ch-aviation.ch/portal/airline.php?cha=FSX | title=Airline Information – Fly SAX | accessdate=6 August 2013}}</ref> |ICAO = EXZ <ref name="ch" /> |callsign = TWIGA |parent = Fly540 |founded = 2012 |headquarters = Wilson Airport, Nairobi, Kenya |key_people = Don Smith (CEO and Founder) Charles Wako (Chairman) |hubs = Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Wilson Airport |secondary_hubs = |focus_cities = Local and regional |frequent_flyer = |lounge = |alliance = |website = {{URL|Eastafrican.com}} |image=|aoc=|num_employees=}}

'''East African Safari Air Express Ltd''' trading as '''Eastafrican.com''' is a Kenyan airline based at Wilson Airport in Nairobi.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.eastafrican.com/about-us/About-Us | title=Eastafrican – About Us | date= 17 October 2019 | accessdate=17 October 2019}}</ref> Originally East African Safari Air, the airline was rebranded as Fly-SAX after its purchase by the parent company of Kenyan airline Fly540, then later to Eastafrican.com<ref name="ch" />

==History== {{Main|East African Safari Air}}

Before its current iteration, the airline began operations as East African Safari Air Limited, founded by Anthony A. Kegode and incorporated in May 1989. The company later changed the name of its airline operations to East African Safari Air Express.

In September 2004, East African Safari Air Express was placed into receivership. At that time, the airline was transporting an estimated 25,000 passengers per month on their various routes. East African Safari Air Express emerged from receivership and operated scheduled regional and domestic services with a fleet of McDonnell-Douglas DC-9s and a Fokker F28 that once belonged to competing Kenyan airline JetLink Express.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?regsearch=5Y-EEE|title=Photo Search Results|work=airliners.net}}</ref>

In November 2010, the airline was grounded in a dispute over payment of airline leases.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alternativeairlines.com/fly540-of-kenya-has-bought-rival-east-african-safari-express|title=Fly540 of Kenya, has bought rival East African Safari Express - News - alternativeairlines.com|author=Paul Argyle|work=alternativeairlines.com}}</ref> In December 2010, low-cost carrier Fly540 purchased the assets of East African Safari Air Express,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eturbonews.com/20101/fly-540-takes-over-east-african-safari-air-express|title=Kenya Aviation News Fly 540 takes over East African Safari Air Express - eTurboNews.com|work=eturbonews.com}}</ref> and the operation was re-branded as '''Fly-SAX''' (an ode to its former '''S'''afari '''A'''ir E'''x'''press moniker) in September 2012. The airline carried over the same IATA (B5) and ICAO (EXZ) airline codes to the new brand.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ch-aviation.ch/portal/airline.php?phrase=B5|title=Airline Profiles - ch-aviation.com|work=ch-aviation}}</ref>

In April 2013, Fly540 signed an acquisition agreement with Tanzanian airline Fastjet that would see Fastjet assume Fly540's operations in order to establish Fastjet service in Kenya.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.abndigital.com/page/multimedia/video/open-exchange/1584839-Acquisition-Deal-for-Fly-540-Fast-Jet|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130802123555/http://archive.abndigital.com/page/multimedia/video/open-exchange/1584839-Acquisition-Deal-for-Fly-540-Fast-Jet|url-status=usurped|archive-date=August 2, 2013|title=Error 404|work=CNBCAfrica.com}}</ref> This purchase leaves it unclear whether or not Fly-SAX will continue as a separate entity, as Fastjet staff have indicated that the Fly540 brand will eventually be phased out.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/fastjet-eyes-late-summer-launch-alongside-fly540-brand-373018/|title=FastJet eyes late summer launch alongside Fly540 brand|work=Flightglobal.com}}</ref>

==Destinations== As of January 2016, Eastafrican.com flies to the following destinations:

{|class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Country ! City/County ! Airport |- |Comoros |Moroni |Prince Said Ibrahim International Airport |- |Kenya |Baringo County |Lake Baringo Airport |- |Kenya |Garissa |Garissa Airport |- |Kenya |Isiolo |Isiolo Airport |- |Kenya |Kitale |Kitale Airport |- |Kenya |Kwale County |Ukunda Airport |- |Kenya |Lamu |Manda Airport |- |Kenya |Lodwar |Lodwar Airport |- |Kenya |Malindi |Malindi Airport |- |Kenya |Mombasa |Moi International Airport |- |Kenya |Nairobi |style="background:#fada5e;"|Jomo Kenyatta International Airport <sup>[Hub]</sup> |- |Kenya |Nairobi |style="background:#fada5e;"|Wilson Airport <sup>[Hub]</sup> |- |Kenya |Nanyuki |Nanyuki Airport |- |Kenya |Narok County |Mara Serena Airport |- |Kenya |Wajir |Wajir Airport |- |Somalia |Mogadishu |Aden Adde International Airport |- |Uganda |Entebbe |Entebbe International Airport |- |}

==Fleet== ===Current fleet=== The Eastafrican.com fleet consists of the following aircraft (as of August 2017):<ref>{{cite journal|title=Global Airline Guide 2017 (Part One)|journal=Airliner World|issue=October 2017|page=19}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=About Us|url=https://www.eastafrican.com/ABOUT-US/About-Us|access-date=2020-12-14|website=www.eastafrican.com}}</ref> {|class="wikitable" |+ Eastafrican.com Fleet |- !rowspan="2" width:140px;" |Aircraft !rowspan="2" width:50px;" |In Fleet !rowspan="2" width:40px;" |Orders !colspan="3" |Passengers |- !width:25px;" | <abbr title="Prestige (Business) class">C</abbr> !width:25px;" | <abbr title="Economy class">Y</abbr> !width:25px;" | Total |- |Bombardier CRJ200ER |1 ||&mdash; ||&mdash; |50 |50 |- | rowspan="2" |Douglas DC-9-10 |1 |&mdash; |&mdash; |80 |80 |- |1 | --- |20 | --- |20 |- |Fokker F28 Fellowship 4000 |1 |&mdash; |&mdash; |67 |(Stored due to lack of Flight Crew) |- |Beechcraft B1900 |1 | ---- | -- |19 |19 |- |Cessna 208 Caravan |2 | --- | -- |9 |9 |- |'''Total''' |7 |'''&mdash;''' | colspan="3" | |}

== Accidents == On 5 June 2018, a Cessna 208 Caravan operating as Fly-SAX Flight 102 from Kitale Airport to Wilson Airport in Nairobi disappeared en route, losing contact with air traffic control while over the Aberdare Range in central Kenya. The plane had two crew and ten passengers on board.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nation.co.ke/news/Light-aircraft-missing/1056-4597648-11a14s7z/index.html|title=FlySax plane goes missing|work=Daily Nation|access-date=2018-06-06|language=en-UK}}</ref>

The wreck of the Cessna C208 aircraft, registration number 5Y-CAC, was found at around 6.45 am ( GMT+3 ) by the aerial search team at Elephant Point, some 11,000 feet above sea level.

A few hours after the discovery of the wreckage, Fly-SAX confirmed through a press release on their website that there were no survivors. The total number of fatalities was 10. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Fly SAX Confirms No Survivors from Tuesday Plane Crash |url=https://www.mwakilishi.com/article/kenya-news/2018-06-07/fly-sax-confirms-no-survivors-from-tuesday-plane-crash |access-date=2024-12-04 |website=Mwakilishi.com |language=en}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist|30em}}

==External links== *[http://www.eastafrican.com/ Official website]

{{Portalbar|Kenya|Aviation}} {{Airlines of Kenya}}

Category:Airlines of Kenya Category:Airlines established in 2011 Category:2011 establishments in Kenya