Air Namibia resume Zimbabwe flights

AIR Namibia is set to fly into Harare tomorrow, almost 13 years after it suspended service.

The airline last flew to Harare in 1998. An Embraer ERJ-135 aircraft to be used on the direct flight

from Windhoek to Harare is expected to land at Harare International Airport at 1125 hours.

It is then expected to depart Harare at 1205 hours and arrive in Windhoek at 1320 hours.

The Brazilian-made Embraer ERJ-135 aircraft is a 37-seater twinjet. The airline will fly into Zimbabwe four times a week on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. According to the airline's website, the Windhoek-Harare route is one of three new routes introduced in the region.

The other two include the Windhoek-Ondjiva (Angola), and the Windhoekâ€"Gaborone route, both three times a week.

Air Namibia said the three new additional routes would add significant capacity to its regional operations, with more flexible connecting times.

"The Harare, Ondjiva and Gaborone routes are the ninth addition to SW regional flights, serviced by our Embraer ERJ-135 aircraft, offering direct connection from the international hub in Windhoek.

"The flights are timed to ensure easy connections from various points of SW geographically focused route network which was introduced in October 2011.

The airline added that its plans are on strengthening its network connections within the borders of the country, African region and the world.

"In addition to the growth and expansion plans the national airline plans to become an independent profit-making airline by the end of the five years in 2016," the airline said.

"The additional routes will contribute significantly in strengthening the Namibian economy and existing bilateral business relationships of the three countries, Sadc region and the continent. Commercially, Air Namibia's new destinations will provide easy travel options for all individual needs."

The coming in of Air Namibia follows the launch by Emirates of the Harare-Lusaka-Dubai route in February this year.

Emirates is operating flights between Dubai and Harare via Lusaka five times a week using an Airbus A330-200. A number of international airlines have also been making inquiries about introducing flights into 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 these airlines suspended flights into the country between 1998 and 2008 due to economic challenges prevailing in the country then.

Other airlines that used to fly into Zimbabwe include Austrian Airlines, Swiss Air, Air India, Air France and TAP Air Portugal, Air Mauritius, Linhas Aereas de

Mocambique, Royal Swazi Airlines and Air Seychelles, Air Tanzania, Ghana Airways, Air Uganda and Air Cameroon.

However, the increase in airlines flying into the country in recent months is a major boost for the country at a time when the Tourism and Hospitality Industry Ministry and the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority have gone all out to market the country's tourism industry.

The country's tourism sector has suffered as a result of negative stories about the country peddled by the Western media primarily in the country's premier source markets.

While these efforts have begun to bear fruit the issue of the country's connectivity with the outside world have come into question especially due to the problems affecting Air Zimbabwe.

The national airline has had to suspend flights intermittently due to a number of challenges chief among them failure to pay workers and a huge debt overhang.

However, Air Zimbabwe recently resumed domestic flights between Harare-Bulawayo and Victoria Falls  bringing relief to local and international travellers.