News / National
International Airlines jostle for Zimbabwe airspace
02 Aug 2012 at 05:27hrs | Views
THE renewed interest in Zimbabwe by foreign companies appears to have caught on in the aviation industry with three airlines having so far introduced or expressed their desire intend to start offering services into the country.
Emirates got the ball rolling by introducing flights between Harare and Dubai via Lusaka on February 1 this year.
The airline had a very successful launch as its inaugural flight using an Airbus 330-200 with a carrying capacity of 256 passengers, was 80 percent full. The norm is that inaugural flights tend to have a carrying capacity of at least 40 percent since it will be a new route.
The airline, which has been operating five times a week on the linked route, announced last month that it would be offering daily services starting from October 1.
This was precipitated by a strong performance since its launch in February that has seen the airline carrying over 43 000 passengers on the route to date.
The airline also announced on Tuesday that it was introducing a dedicated cargo-only flight to service Harare through its freight division, SkyCargo.
The service will be undertaken every Friday by a cargo-only Boeing 777 aircraft that will arrive in Harare and return to Dubai via Johannesburg.
The SkyCargo airplane has the capacity to carry 103 tonnes of freight, adding to the existing weekly cargo capacity of 160 tonnes on Emirates' scheduled five-times-a-week passenger service.
The airline has also undertaken to market the country's tourist resorts and featured the Victoria Falls in its "A World of Choice" brochure for 2012-2013 that is distributed in all its source markets.
In addition, the airline has also undertaken to assist in transporting delegates to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly to be held in Victoria Falls next year.
Taking Emirates' lead, another airline, Air Namibia, reintroduced flights between Harare and Windhoek in May after almost 13 years.
The airline, which last flew to Harare in 1998, is using a 37-seater twinjet Embraer ERJ-135 aircraft to service the route four times a week.
Speaking after the relaunch of the route, Zimbabwe's Ambassador to Namibia, Ms Chipo Zindoga, said the relaunch was "very significant" for Zimbabwe as it increased capacity, connectivity and choice as the country strives to consolidate its economic recovery through trade, tourism and investment.
"It is a welcome development as Namibia becomes a hub for regional integration," she said.
She added that the return of Air Namibia had come at the right time as it coincided with preparations for the hosting of the UNTWO General Assembly in Victoria Falls in August next year.
Ambassador Zindoga said there was need for more joint tourism packages between the two countries with emphasis on other tourist attractions in Zimbabwe other than the Victoria Falls - the mystical Eastern Highlands, Lake Kariba, Matopos, Chinhoyi Caves and Great Zimbabwe.
Last month KLM Royal Dutch Airlines announced that it will resume services to Harare on October 29 using an Airbus A330-200, flying three times a week from Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport.
According to KLM, which last flew into Harare in 1999, Flight KL523 will operate on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, departing from Schiphol at 10.20am and arriving in Harare on the same day at 9.25pm.
The return leg has the same number, KL523, leaving Harare at 10.30pm the
same day, with an intermediate landing in Lusaka.
The flight arrives in Amsterdam the following morning at 10.20. The Harare route will be served in combination with Lusaka, Zambia.
KLM will also offer 11 weekly services to Harare via Nairobi in co-operation with Kenya Airways, which is undergoing rapid development in terms of fleet expansion and new destinations.
The three join airlines such as Ethiopian Airlines, South African Airways, Kenya Airways and British Airways that have been operating into Harare.
Incidentally, SAA - which operates a service between Johannesburg and Harare - introduced a bigger plane an Airbus 330 on the route every Thursday in November last year.
The flight was introduced at a time when the national airline was severely handicapped by a number of challenges.
British Airways, which used to have direct flights between Harare and London, is currently operating a service between Harare and Johannesburg through ComAir.
Apart from three airlines that have come in and are coming in there has also been an expression of interest by other airlines to re-establish services in Zimbabwe.
Transport, Communication and Infrastructure Development Minister Nicholas Goche told the media in February that his ministry had received inquiries from a number of leading airlines such as Qatar and Hong Kong Airlines.
Others include Air France, Austrian Airlines, Egypt Air, Swiss Air, Bulgarian Airlines, Qantas, KLM and Lufthansa.
Some of the airlines have been seeking to re-establish services after having suspended flights into the country between 1998 and 2008 due to economic challenges prevailing in the country then.
There are indications EgyptAir and Qatar are finalising their return to Harare.
Aviation industry stakeholders believe that Harare International Airport is an important transit hub for air travel in and out of the Southern African region.
"The fact that we have seen Emirates increasing its flight frequency is a sign that this is a very viable destination for both passengers and cargo," said one of the stakeholders.
The coming in of the airlines is a big boost for the country's tourism sector as it is coming at a time when the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry has gone on an all- out offensive to market the country's tourism sector by launching the country brand in different source markets.
Zimbabwe will be able to benefit from the wide route network of the international airlines to draw tourists into the country.
The increase in the number of airlines flying into the country will also enhance connectivity at a time when the national airline, Air Zimbabwe, is crippled by various challenges that has seen it only offering services on the domestic routes.
Emirates got the ball rolling by introducing flights between Harare and Dubai via Lusaka on February 1 this year.
The airline had a very successful launch as its inaugural flight using an Airbus 330-200 with a carrying capacity of 256 passengers, was 80 percent full. The norm is that inaugural flights tend to have a carrying capacity of at least 40 percent since it will be a new route.
The airline, which has been operating five times a week on the linked route, announced last month that it would be offering daily services starting from October 1.
This was precipitated by a strong performance since its launch in February that has seen the airline carrying over 43 000 passengers on the route to date.
The airline also announced on Tuesday that it was introducing a dedicated cargo-only flight to service Harare through its freight division, SkyCargo.
The service will be undertaken every Friday by a cargo-only Boeing 777 aircraft that will arrive in Harare and return to Dubai via Johannesburg.
The SkyCargo airplane has the capacity to carry 103 tonnes of freight, adding to the existing weekly cargo capacity of 160 tonnes on Emirates' scheduled five-times-a-week passenger service.
The airline has also undertaken to market the country's tourist resorts and featured the Victoria Falls in its "A World of Choice" brochure for 2012-2013 that is distributed in all its source markets.
In addition, the airline has also undertaken to assist in transporting delegates to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly to be held in Victoria Falls next year.
Taking Emirates' lead, another airline, Air Namibia, reintroduced flights between Harare and Windhoek in May after almost 13 years.
The airline, which last flew to Harare in 1998, is using a 37-seater twinjet Embraer ERJ-135 aircraft to service the route four times a week.
Speaking after the relaunch of the route, Zimbabwe's Ambassador to Namibia, Ms Chipo Zindoga, said the relaunch was "very significant" for Zimbabwe as it increased capacity, connectivity and choice as the country strives to consolidate its economic recovery through trade, tourism and investment.
"It is a welcome development as Namibia becomes a hub for regional integration," she said.
She added that the return of Air Namibia had come at the right time as it coincided with preparations for the hosting of the UNTWO General Assembly in Victoria Falls in August next year.
Ambassador Zindoga said there was need for more joint tourism packages between the two countries with emphasis on other tourist attractions in Zimbabwe other than the Victoria Falls - the mystical Eastern Highlands, Lake Kariba, Matopos, Chinhoyi Caves and Great Zimbabwe.
Last month KLM Royal Dutch Airlines announced that it will resume services to Harare on October 29 using an Airbus A330-200, flying three times a week from Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport.
According to KLM, which last flew into Harare in 1999, Flight KL523 will operate on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, departing from Schiphol at 10.20am and arriving in Harare on the same day at 9.25pm.
The return leg has the same number, KL523, leaving Harare at 10.30pm the
same day, with an intermediate landing in Lusaka.
The flight arrives in Amsterdam the following morning at 10.20. The Harare route will be served in combination with Lusaka, Zambia.
KLM will also offer 11 weekly services to Harare via Nairobi in co-operation with Kenya Airways, which is undergoing rapid development in terms of fleet expansion and new destinations.
The three join airlines such as Ethiopian Airlines, South African Airways, Kenya Airways and British Airways that have been operating into Harare.
Incidentally, SAA - which operates a service between Johannesburg and Harare - introduced a bigger plane an Airbus 330 on the route every Thursday in November last year.
The flight was introduced at a time when the national airline was severely handicapped by a number of challenges.
British Airways, which used to have direct flights between Harare and London, is currently operating a service between Harare and Johannesburg through ComAir.
Apart from three airlines that have come in and are coming in there has also been an expression of interest by other airlines to re-establish services in Zimbabwe.
Transport, Communication and Infrastructure Development Minister Nicholas Goche told the media in February that his ministry had received inquiries from a number of leading airlines such as Qatar and Hong Kong Airlines.
Others include Air France, Austrian Airlines, Egypt Air, Swiss Air, Bulgarian Airlines, Qantas, KLM and Lufthansa.
Some of the airlines have been seeking to re-establish services after having suspended flights into the country between 1998 and 2008 due to economic challenges prevailing in the country then.
There are indications EgyptAir and Qatar are finalising their return to Harare.
Aviation industry stakeholders believe that Harare International Airport is an important transit hub for air travel in and out of the Southern African region.
"The fact that we have seen Emirates increasing its flight frequency is a sign that this is a very viable destination for both passengers and cargo," said one of the stakeholders.
The coming in of the airlines is a big boost for the country's tourism sector as it is coming at a time when the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry has gone on an all- out offensive to market the country's tourism sector by launching the country brand in different source markets.
Zimbabwe will be able to benefit from the wide route network of the international airlines to draw tourists into the country.
The increase in the number of airlines flying into the country will also enhance connectivity at a time when the national airline, Air Zimbabwe, is crippled by various challenges that has seen it only offering services on the domestic routes.
Source - TH
