Fly Namibia lands in Victoria Falls on maiden flight

Fly Namibia has landed for the first time at Victoria Falls International Airport as the airline launches its service between Windhoek and Victoria Falls.

Present to welcome the airline at its maiden flight are Tourism Minister Barbara Rwodzi, Matabeleland North Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Richard Moyo, Transport and Infrastructural Development Deputy Minister Joshua Sacco, tourism executives and heads of various Government departments.

The development comes as more airlines express interest in Zimbabwe as a destination, riding on the country's open skies policy.

The airline's inaugural flight marks a significant milestone, making it the 11th airline to service the Victoria Falls route since the airport's rehabilitation a few years ago.

Notably, some airlines, like Air Namibia, have yet to resume flights into Victoria Falls following the suspension of services during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Among the airlines already flying into Zimbabwe's prime tourism destination are Eurowings Discover, MackAir, Cemair, Safair, Airlink, Air Zimbabwe, South Africa Airways, Fastjet, Kenya Airways, and Ethiopian Airways.

Fly Namibia, a privately owned scheduled passenger airline, operates under the umbrella of its parent company, Westair Aviation. With a rich history dating back to 1967, Westair Aviation has consistently set high standards in Namibia's aviation industry and remains the country's largest aviation company.

Fly Namibia's operations are centred at Windhoek-Eros and Windhoek-Hosea Kutako airports, serving five destinations across Namibia and South Africa. Now, with the addition of Victoria Falls, it expands its network to a total of six destinations.

In a statement, the Fly Namibia board confirmed the inaugural flight plans, signalling an exciting new chapter for air travel in Victoria Falls.   

"The board of Fly Namibia invites you to embark on a historic journey with us as we celebrate the inaugural flight from Windhoek to Victoria Falls. Fly Namibia is launching tomorrow," said the board.

 Ministers of Tourism and Transport from both Namibia and Zimbabwe are expected to attend the maiden landing at the Victoria Falls International Airport, as outlined in the programme.

Zimbabwe's commitment to an Open Skies policy has led to a surge in inquiries from airlines eager to operate flights into the country. The Airports Company of Zimbabwe has been inundated with requests from carriers seeking to establish routes.

Victoria Falls, located in Matabeleland North, serves as the aviation hub for the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area and the broader SADC region. Airlines link this iconic destination with neighbouring countries such as Botswana, South Africa, and other regions beyond.