Airlink launches Harare-Durban direct flight

SOUTH Africa's Airlink has launched direct flights between Harare and Durban in a development that is expected to promote trade and tourism.

Harare is Zimbabwe's capital and trade centre while Durban is a key tourism destination in South Africa.
Airlink, a subsidiary of SA Airways, launched the new route yesterday, which will see the airline providing direct schedule services between the two cities on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

This is airlink's third direct service to Harare.

The other two routes link with Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Zimbabwe Tourism Authority spokesperson, Mr Godfrey Chief Koti, said Zimbabwe's aviation and tourism are on a massive recovery as evidenced by number of airlines choosing to fly into the country.

"Today Airlink airline launched scheduled direct services between Durban and Harare. The new flight is expected to propel and promote trade and tourism between KwaZulu-Natal and Zimbabwe," he said.

Airlink also has separate direct flight services to Victoria Falls from Johannesburg.

Besides Airlink, other airlines linking Zimbabwe with South Africa are Fastjet, which flies to Johannesburg and recently launched direct scheduled flights to Kruger National Park also in South Africa.

Fastjet, which also operates locally between Harare-Bulawayo and Victoria Falls, will launch the Victoria Falls-Maun route in June this year.

Botswana MackAir also plies the Victoria Falls-Kasane route providing alternative fast connection  between the two tourism destinations.

Before the outbreak of Covid-19, Kenyan Airways was operating the Nairobi-Victoria Falls-Cape Town route, linking the main tourism destinations in the region.

Last week, Lufthansa Group-owned airline Eurowings Discover launched direct scheduled flights between Frankfurt in Germany and Victoria Falls via Windhoek in Namibia.

A number of regional and international flights are reportedly angling on flying to Zimbabwe.