{{Short description|Kenyan airline}} {{Infobox airline |airline = Fly540 |logo = Fly540 logo.png |logo_size = 180px |fleet_size = 2 |destinations = 10 |IATA = 5H |ICAO = FFV |callsign = SWIFT TANGO |parent = |founded = 2006 |headquarters = [[Nairobi]], [[Kenya]] |key_people = Don Smith ([[Chief Executive Officer|CEO]]) |hubs = [[Jomo Kenyatta International Airport]] |secondary_hubs = |focus_cities = |frequent_flyer = |lounge = |alliance = |website = [http://www.fly540.com/ fly540.com] }}
'''Five Forty Aviation Ltd''', trading as '''Fly540''', is a [[Low-cost carrier|low-cost airline]] based in [[Nairobi]], [[Kenya]].<ref>"[http://www.fly540.com/fly540.html Kenya Contact Information]." ([http://www.fly540.com/fly540.swf direct file link] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711013126/http://www.fly540.com/fly540.swf |date=2011-07-11 }}) Fly540. Retrieved on 14 January 2011. "Riverside Green Suites Five Forty Africa Head Office Palm Suite, Riverside Drive P.O. Box 10293-00100 Nairobi, Kenya."</ref> It commenced operations in 2006 with both passenger and cargo services.<ref name="FI">{{cite news | title= Directory: World Airlines | work= [[Flight International]] | page= 83 | date= 2007-04-03}}</ref> The airline had two subsidiary airlines, '''[[Royal Fly-GH|Fly540 Ghana]]''' (suspended in May 2014 and since sold) and '''[[Fly540 Angola]]''' (suspended in May 2014), but has since focused its business expansion plans in East Africa.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://centreforaviation.com/analysis/fastjet-2015-outlook-fleet-expands-and-new-affiliates-launch-but-profitability-remains-challenging-203064|title=fastjet 2015 outlook: fleet expands and new affiliates launch but profitability remains challenging|work=CAPA - Centre for Aviation|access-date=2017-07-13}}</ref> The company slogan is ''Your Local Airline.''
== History ==
===Initial domestic services=== Fly540 started operations between [[Jomo Kenyatta International Airport|Nairobi]] and [[Moi International Airport|Mombasa]] on November 24, 2006.<ref>''[[Airliner World]]'' January 2007</ref> The airline's name refers to its price of KSh5,540 per adult return fare between the above-mentioned cities.<ref name="kite">''[[The Standard (Kenya)|The Standard]]'', January 18, 2007: {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20071007114638/http://eastandard.net/mag/mag.php?id=1143963784&catid=321 ''The new kite in the skies'']}}</ref>
[[Lonrho|Lonrho Africa]] was a major investor in the company, paying [[United States dollar|US $]]1.5 million for a 49% stake.<ref>{{Cite web|title=LCC start-up Fastjet targets under-served markets in West Africa, starting with Ghana|url=https://centreforaviation.com/analysis/reports/lcc-start-up-fastjet-targets-under-served-markets-in-west-africa-starting-with-ghana-69005|website=CAPA - Centre for Aviation|language=en|access-date=2020-05-15}}</ref>
Passenger numbers rose by 93% to 171,160 in the year ending 30 September 2008, compared to 88,571 in 2007. At the same time, the [[load factor (aeronautics)|load factor]] amounted to 63%, down from 65.8% in 2007.<ref>Lonrho PLC, March 30, 2009: [http://www.lonrho.com/Investors/Financial_Reports/Annual_Report_2008/File.aspx?id=858 Annual Report 2008] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090604042029/http://www.lonrho.com/Investors/Financial_Reports/Annual_Report_2008/File.aspx?id=858 |date=2009-06-04 }}</ref>
=== Pan-African ambitions === [[File:Fly540 ATR42 at Entebbe.jpg|thumb|A Fly540 [[ATR 42]] at [[Entebbe International Airport]]]] The original scheduled flights included freight and passenger services between Nairobi and Mombasa, while [[Kisumu]] became a destination in January 2007.<ref name="kite"/> Daily flights on the Nairobi-[[Malindi]]-[[Lamu]] route were added to Fly540's domestic services in February 2007.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fly540.com/beta2/news.php|title=Fly540 - East Africa's low cost airline|website=www.fly540.com|access-date=2017-07-13}}</ref>
International operations commenced in October 2007 with flights to [[Juba, Sudan|Juba]] in [[South Sudan]] and [[Goma]] in the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]];<ref>''The Standard'', September 26, 2007: {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110928154737/http://eastandard.net/news/?id=1143975064 Fly540 eyes Sudan and DRC]}}</ref> service to [[Entebbe]] in [[Uganda]] began in February 2008. Additionally, Fly540 Tanzania launched direct flights<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.wantedworldwide.net/news/7176/new_flights_from_dar_es_salaam_to_mwanza.html |title=New flights from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza | Wanted WorldWide |access-date=2011-01-26 |archive-date=2011-07-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724130557/http://www.wantedworldwide.net/news/7176/new_flights_from_dar_es_salaam_to_mwanza.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> between [[Dar es Salaam]] and [[Mwanza]], on the western shores of Lake Victoria.
Initially the company operated 11 flights a week and it was hoped that in time its Fokker 28 aircraft, which carried 28 people, would be upgraded to a 50-seat [[Bombardier CRJ100/200|CRJ100]].
===Investment by Fastjet=== In June 2012, Fly540 was sold for $85.7 million (Sh7.3 billion) to British investment firm Rubicon Diversified Investments (now Fastjet Plc <ref>''4-traders.com'', August 7, 2012: [http://www.4-traders.com/RUBICON-DIVERSIFIED-INVES-4006346/news/Rubicon-Diversified-Investments-PLC-Result-of-EGM-Change-of-Name-to-FastJet-14450259/ Rubicon Diversified Investments PLC : Result of EGM & Change of Name to FastJet]</ref>), who purchased the airline from Lonrho group. Rubicon said it had chosen to acquire Fly540 as its platform for the launch of a budget airline in Africa, to be modelled on [[EasyJet]], Europe's second largest low-cost carrier.<ref name="Rubicon">''[[The Star (Kenya)|The Star, Nairobi]]'', July 9, 2012: [http://allafrica.com/stories/201207091965.html ''Kenya: Fastjet to Phase Out Fly540 By October'']</ref>
The first flights were transferred to the new airline, [[Fastjet]], on 29 November 2012.<ref name="Fastjet">Centre for Aviation, November 30, 2012: [http://centreforaviation.com/analysis/fastjet-takes-to-the-air-promising-a-modern-pan-african-network-90068 ''FastJet takes to the air, promising a modern pan-African network'']</ref> These were two domestic routes in Tanzania; it had been expected that all Fly540 flights would quickly be transferred to Fastjet, in turn, as the various arrangements and permissions required for each route were agreed upon.
Following the acquisition of Lonrho's 49% interest in Five Forty Aviation Kenya Ltd, and a further 49.98% economic interest in the company approved at a Fastjet General meeting on 29 June 2012, it became apparent that the vendor did not consider the additional acquisition had completed. The dispute led to legal claims by both parties over the ownership and other matters.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fastjet.com/tz/file-resources/fastjet-plc-annual-report-2012 |title=Annual Report 2012|publisher=Fastjet Plc |accessdate=29 August 2013}}</ref> A Memorandum of Understanding was reached on 23 April 2013 where both parties agreed to stop legal proceedings against each other because Fastjet did not believe they had control or significant influence. As of 1 July 2014, a settlement was agreed between Fastjet and Don Smith [CEO] in which Fastjet transferred all shares in Five Forty Aviation Kenya LTD to Don Smith and Fastjet relinquished any further interest in Five Forty Aviation Ltd. The Five Forty brand name is now for sole use of Five Forty Aviation Kenya Ltd.
===Suspension=== Fly540's operations in Kenya were suspended in November 2022 by the country's [[Competition Authority of Kenya |Competition Authority]] following complaints over false advertising, short notice before cancellation of flights, and delayed refunds.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kivuva |first1=Elizabeth |title=Competitions authority suspends Fly540 over increased travellers' complaints |url=https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/bd/corporate/shipping-logistics/competitions-authority-suspends-fly540-over-complaints-4022028 |website=Business Daily |access-date=25 November 2022 |language=en |date=16 November 2022}}</ref> The carrier was ordered to refund a batch of tickets sold after the date on which its Air Operators Certificate expired as well as any ticket before that date "where flights were cancelled arbitrarily."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Odhiambo |first=Victor Shalton |date=2022-11-17 |title=Fly540 Issued with a Cease & Desist Order for Providing inaccurate information to passengers, expired AOC |url=https://airspace-africa.com/2022/11/17/fly540-issued-with-a-cease-desist-order-for-providing-inaccurate-information-to-passengers-expired-aoc/ |access-date=2025-06-29 |website=Airspace Africa |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2025, a Kenyan court ordered the sale of aircraft leased to Fly540.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Kenyan court orders sale of Avmax aircraft leased to Fly540 |url=https://www.ch-aviation.com/news/149759-kenyan-court-orders-sale-of-avmax-aircraft-leased-to-fly540 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250401131149/https://www.ch-aviation.com/news/149759-kenyan-court-orders-sale-of-avmax-aircraft-leased-to-fly540 |archive-date=2025-04-01 |access-date=2025-06-29 |work=ch-aviation |language=en-US |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Corporate affairs== Since the acquisition of Lonrho (BVI) Ltd's interest on 29 June 2012, Five Forty Aviation Ltd is now 100% privately owned.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Five Forty Aviation Response to FastJet Statement|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130207006292/en/Forty-Aviation-Response-FastJet-Statement|date=2013-02-07|website=www.businesswire.com|language=en|access-date=2020-05-28}}</ref>
== Destinations == [[File:Fly540 Canadair Regional Jet CRJ100-2.jpg|thumb|A Fly540 [[Bombardier CRJ200|Canadair Regional Jet CRJ-100ER]] pictured at [[Jomo Kenyatta International Airport]], [[Nairobi]], in 2012]] [[File:2010-09-14 15-31-07 Kenya Nairobi Area Embakasi 5Y-BUZ.jpg|thumb|Fly540 [[Bombardier Dash 8|de Havilland Canada DHC-8-100]]]] [[File:FFV AT72 D2-FLY 16mar15 LFBO.jpg|thumb|Fly540 ATR 72, stored at [[Toulouse Blagnac International Airport|Toulouse airport]]]] As of February 2016, Fly540 flies to the following destinations.
{|class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Country ! City ! Airport ! Notes |- |Kenya |[[Eldoret]] |[[Eldoret International Airport]] | |- |Kenya |[[Kisumu]] |[[Kisumu International 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> | |- |South Sudan |[[Juba]] |[[Juba International Airport]] | |- |Tanzania |[[Zanzibar]] |[[Abeid Amani Karume International Airport]] | |- |}
== Fleet == ===Current fleet=== {{As of|2025|8}}, Fly540 operates the following aircraft:<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Global Airline Guide 2025 - Fly540 |magazine=Airliner World |date=September 2025 |page=64}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; margin:0.5em auto" |+ Fly540 fleet ! Aircraft ! In service ! Orders ! Passengers ! Notes |- |[[Bombardier Dash 8|Bombardier Dash 8-Q200]] |1 |— | | |- |[[Bombardier Dash 8|Bombardier Dash 8-Q300]] |1 |— | | |- !Total !2 !0 !colspan=4| |}
===Fleet development=== In January 2008, the company signed a US$150 million contract for eight [[ATR 72|ATR 72-500s]] to be delivered in 2008 and 2009.<ref>EADS, January 11, 2008: [http://eads.com/800/en/investor/News_and_Events/news_ir/2008/20080111_atr_lonrho.html Lonrho to acquire eight ATR 72-500s for airline Fly540]{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> These orders have since been cancelled <ref>{{Cite web|title=Fleet - Fly540 {{!}} Fly540|url=https://www.fly540.com/fleet|website=www.fly540.com|access-date=2020-05-16}}</ref> In April 2014, Fastjet announced that two ATRs and both DC-9 aircraft were to be withdrawn from service: the ATRs are to be sold, and the DC-9s are to be returned to their lessors.
===Former fleet=== The airline previously operated the following aircraft: * 2 [[Bombardier CRJ200#CRJ100|Bombardier CRJ100ER]] (as of August 2017):<ref>{{cite journal|title=Global Airline Guide 2017 (Part One)|journal=Airliner World|issue=October 2017|page=19}}</ref> * 2 [[Bombardier CRJ200#CRJ200|Bombardier CRJ200LR]] (as of August 2019):<ref name="GAG">{{cite journal|title=Global Airline Guide 2017 (Part One)|journal=Airliner World|issue=October 2017|page=19}}</ref> * 1 [[Bombardier Dash 8|Bombardier Dash 8-100]]<ref name="GAG"/>
== Accidents == * On 13 August 2008, a [[Fokker F27 Friendship]], [[Aircraft registration|registered]] as 5Y-BVF, flying from [[Jomo Kenyatta International Airport|Nairobi Airport]] to [[K50 Airstrip|K50 Airport]], [[Somalia]], crashed into a [[Radio masts and towers|Radio masts/tower]]. All three occupants died.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Accident Fokker F-27 Friendship 500 5Y-BVF, Wednesday 13 August 2008 |url=https://asn.flightsafety.org/asndb/321660 |access-date=2024-08-20 |website=asn.flightsafety.org}}</ref> * On 27 January 2011, a Fokker F27 FriendshipCRF, registered as 5X-FFD, [[Runway excursion|overran]] the runway at [[Wilson Airport]], Kenya. This was the second attempt for take-off after the first one resulted in aborting the takeoff. All four occupants survived.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Accident Fokker F-27 Friendship 500CRF 5X-FFD, Thursday 27 January 2011 |url=https://asn.flightsafety.org/asndb/321178 |access-date=2024-08-20 |website=asn.flightsafety.org}}</ref> * On 28 February 2020, a de Havilland Dash 8-300 operating for Fly540 experienced an engine failure while departing from [[Lokichar]]. The aircraft was operating as a charter flight to [[Wilson Airport|Nairobi's Wilson Airport]] with 49 oil workers and 5 crew members onboard. The aircraft returned to Lokichar, where it overran the runway.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hradecky |first=Simon |title=Incident: Fly540 DH8C at Lokichar on Feb 28th 2020, engine failure, runway excursion on landing |url=https://avherald.com/h?article=4d3e43ce |access-date=2025-06-29 |website=avherald.com}}</ref>
==See also== * [[List of airlines of Kenya]]
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == {{commons category-inline|Fly540}} * {{Official website|http://www.fly540.com/}}
{{Portalbar|Kenya|Aviation}} {{Airlines of Kenya}}
[[Category:Airlines of Kenya]] [[Category:Airlines established in 2006]] [[Category:Low-cost carriers]] [[Category:Kenyan companies established in 2006]]