EasyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou is targeting Africa for his Fastjet.com low-cost carrier start-up.
The new venture would be in collaboration with investment company Rubicon Diversified Investments which has links to pan-African conglomerate Lonrho.
Rubicon said in a statement that Sir Stelios would make available his “experienced aviation management team to provide general strategic, management and branding advice on the feasibility of implementing a low-cost, point-to-point, no-frills, all-jet-aircraft business model for Africa”.
Sir Stelios added: “Africa must now represent the final frontier of the [low-cost] aviation revolution, which started in the US in the 70s and which I was proud to have led in Europe in the 90s.”
The development came three weeks after Lonrho said that it was taking a 12% stake in Rubicon and was appointing its chairman, Australian adventurer David Lenigas, and chief executive Geoffrey White to the company’s board.
Rubicon confirmed that it had entered into a “conditional arrangement” with Sir Stelios’ easyGroup Holdings.
“Stelios and easyGroup’s management team will bring significant airline experience in the areas of operations, marketing, branding, IT, fleet selection and finance to the company,” a statement said.
Rubicon chairman Robert Burnham said: “We are very pleased to have secured the management team of easyGroup to advise us on our proposed strategy of building a world-class aviation company with a focus on the significant potential in Africa.
“The experience and track record of the easyGroup management team in this area is unparalleled.
“This experience, coupled with the deep knowledge of African business of our new shareholder Lonrho and our proposed new board members David Lenigas and Geoffrey White, places Rubicon in a strong position to deliver successfully on its proposed new strategy for developing aviation services in Africa.”