News / National
Fly Kumba back with helicopters
18 Oct 2012 at 17:15hrs | Views
THE Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe has approved the launch of a helicopter company, Chikopokopo Helicopters, controlled by the proprietors of Fly Kumba, the low cost airline that halted operations in January after only a year in the skies.
A company spokesperson confirmed the launch of the new airline, indicating that their target was to fly over 20 000 passengers per annum for the Flight of Angels in Victoria Falls in the first year.
Chikopokopo Helicopters commercial manager, Lloyd Muchaka, said they were also targeting contracts in mineral exploration and transportation, medical air rescue services and ad hoc corporate hiring.
Together with South African based Zimbabwean investor, Patrick Chapwanya, Muchaka launched Fly Kumba last year, riding on the confidence that the end of political and economic turmoil in the country in 2009 would push tourist arrivals and lift opeerations.
It offered competitive fares which were half the cost of what Air Zimbabwe charged and four times less than the South African Airways fares.
Fly Kumba operated a Boeing 737-500 airliner leased from Air Namibia.
But in a country where at least 45 global airlines stopped flying at the height of the political crisis and hyperinflation, it was always going to be difficult for new, smaller, private airlines to withstand the high cost of operations in Zimbabwe.
A company spokesperson confirmed the launch of the new airline, indicating that their target was to fly over 20 000 passengers per annum for the Flight of Angels in Victoria Falls in the first year.
Chikopokopo Helicopters commercial manager, Lloyd Muchaka, said they were also targeting contracts in mineral exploration and transportation, medical air rescue services and ad hoc corporate hiring.
It offered competitive fares which were half the cost of what Air Zimbabwe charged and four times less than the South African Airways fares.
Fly Kumba operated a Boeing 737-500 airliner leased from Air Namibia.
But in a country where at least 45 global airlines stopped flying at the height of the political crisis and hyperinflation, it was always going to be difficult for new, smaller, private airlines to withstand the high cost of operations in Zimbabwe.
Source - fingaz
