Air Zimbabwe to resume London flights

Air Zimbabwe is set to resume direct flights between Harare and London by the end of July, ending nearly 15 years without a scheduled service on one of its flagship international routes.

Information Minister Zhemu Soda announced the development on Tuesday while briefing journalists after a Cabinet meeting, saying the national airline would initially operate three weekly flights between Harare and London on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Soda said the airline would use a leased Airbus A330-300 aircraft supplied by Spanish carrier Plus Ultra under an Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance (ACMI) agreement.

“The nation is advised that the airline will resume operations by end of July 2026,” he said.

The aircraft has a capacity of 302 passengers, comprising 30 business class and 272 economy class seats.

Air Zimbabwe last operated scheduled flights to London in December 2011 using Boeing 767-200 aircraft before mounting debt, creditor claims and operational challenges forced the suspension of the route.

At its peak, the airline operated six weekly flights between Harare and London and also offered charter services linking the United Kingdom with Victoria Falls.

Although Air Zimbabwe remains on the European Union's Air Safety List and is prohibited from operating commercial services to, from and within the United Kingdom, the wet-lease arrangement allows it to exercise its traffic rights using an aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance provided by an approved operator.

The agreement, brokered by Chapman Freeborn Aviation Services, enables the flights to operate under Air Zimbabwe's flight code while Plus Ultra supplies the aircraft and operational crew.

The relaunch forms part of efforts by the Mutapa Investment Fund (MIF), Air Zimbabwe's shareholder, to revive the national carrier, with the London route identified as a key component of the airline's turnaround strategy.

Industry estimates indicate that the Harare-London route carried about 108,000 return passengers in 2025 despite the absence of direct flights, with travellers connecting through Addis Ababa, Dubai, Doha, Johannesburg and Nairobi.

The restoration of the service is also expected to benefit Zimbabwe's horticultural sector, which previously relied on direct flights to transport fresh produce to British markets within 24 hours of harvesting.

Air Zimbabwe has previously postponed the return of the route after missing earlier targets, including a planned June 2026 relaunch and a widely reported July 1 start date. The latest announcement signals the airline's renewed push to restore its long-haul international operations.