After a slow start, African limited liability company fastjet could finally expand its fleet in 2015 and launch a second affiliate, but continuing challenges will likely include new LLC competition and regulatory resistance in some markets, according to an analysis by CAPA, the Sydney, Australia-based Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation.

At the end of 2014, fastjet still had three A319s – the same number of aircraft it started with in 2012 at its Africa inception. It has repeatedly delayed launching new affiliates.

The Tanzania-based LLC group could potentially triple its fleet in 2015 with a second affiliate launched in Zambia and potentially a third, most likely in Uganda, CAPA reports. But this is far from a certainty and it seems unlikely the long-anticipated launch of affiliates in Kenya and South Africa will occur in 2015.

Lower oil prices and the suspension of unprofitable operations in Ghana and Angola will improve fastjet’s financial position in 2015, the company said. The airline rang up $200 million in losses since 2012, CAPA reports.

fastjet has been a pioneer in establishing the LCC, or limited liability company model in East Africa, according to CAPA. It stimulated demand by bringing low fares to consumers in markets that traditionally saw some of highest average airfares in the world.

However fastjet struggled financially and saw numerous regulatory setbacks. It couldn’t expand quickly and therefore was unable to exploit its first mover advantage. Other African LCCs will inevitably benefit from fastjet’s groundbreaking work and could end up pursuing faster expansion, overtaking the pioneer.

A limited liability company is a U.S. form of a private limited company. It is a business structure that combines the pass-through taxation of a partnership or sole proprietorship with the limited liability of a corporation.