The CEO of Fly540 airline Donald Smith Earle A week ago, this blog amplified the voice of frustrated clients who exposed local aviation firm, Fly540, for running a fraudulent scheme to steal from Kenyans.
Over the past few months, commuters have blasted the low-cost airline for withholding refunds after last-minute cancellations of their flights. “We had booked our tickets to fly to Malindi with the airline in September. Just days before our flight next week, they cancel the flight and ask us to look for alternative flights without reimbursement of our money. Went to check on their Facebook page and apparently many people are complaining of the same issue and some have also got their flights cancelled on the same day also by this pathetic airline,” reads one of the numerous complaints posted on their official Facebook page. “Dear 540. I booked a flight with you to travel on the 3rd of August 2022. You cancelled the flight on the same day, with just hours to my travel time. When I tried to get an alternative, your senior staff member told me she is placing me on an alternative flight and made me go all the way to the airport only to find no one there. I had to purchase a fresh ticket with a different airline,” another adds. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Fly540 Criticized Over Last-Minute Flight Cancellations After their grievances fell on deaf ears, the victims have now heightened their pursuit of justice by launching an online petition on Change.org - a worldwide non-profit website. “Fly 540 should stop conning people. They should refund all the monies they have stolen. Fly 540 has been scamming Kenyans. They collect money from innocent Kenyans and later reschedule their flight. They are not providing alternative measures or refunding the money. This should be stopped. All those who have been scammed, they should report here,” reads part of the petition started by "Mtetezi Wa Wakenya”. Five Forty Aviation Ltd, trading as Fly540, is a low-cost airline which commenced operations in 2006 and is based in Nairobi, Kenya, operating both passenger and cargo services.
The airline had two subsidiary airlines, Fly540 Ghana and Fly540 Angola, but has since focused its business expansion plans on East Africa.
You can access and sign the petition against Fly540 through this link.