Why most Zimbabweans still can't afford to fly

For most Zimbabweans, boarding a plane remains an unaffordable dream - a privilege reserved for government officials, foreign visitors, and the wealthy elite. Despite Zimbabwe boasting key urban centres like Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare, Gweru, and Victoria Falls, domestic air travel is not only expensive but also impractical due to limited routes, high operating costs, and a lack of political will to reform the sector.

A one-hour flight from Harare to Bulawayo - if available at all - can cost hundreds of U.S. dollars, pricing out the vast majority of citizens. Most Zimbabweans, faced with rising living costs and stagnant wages, would rather endure an eight-hour bus journey than even consider flying. And that's assuming there's a working flight available in the first place.

There are virtually no affordable or regular commercial flights linking Zimbabwe's major cities. For example, there is no reliable service connecting Harare to Gweru or Mutare - cities that are economic and administrative hubs in their own right. Even the once-busy Harare to Bulawayo route is poorly serviced, leaving road travel as the default option for most. Victoria Falls, one of the country's few internationally connected destinations, is better linked to Johannesburg and Cape Town than to Harare itself.

One of the major reasons for this disconnection is the absence of a strong domestic airline network. Air Zimbabwe, once a symbol of national pride, has struggled for years with debt, mismanagement, and an aging fleet. Private players that have entered the market often fail to survive due to inconsistent policy, high costs, and a tiny pool of potential fliers. With low passenger volumes, routes are unprofitable - but without accessible pricing and reliable service, demand never grows. It's a classic chicken-and-egg dilemma that Zimbabwe has never resolved.

The second issue is the exorbitant cost of flying, much of which is driven not by airline profit margins but by government-imposed taxes and levies. Airport departure taxes, navigation charges, fuel levies, and other regulatory fees make up a significant portion of the ticket price. The government appears to treat aviation as a source of quick revenue, rather than as an essential economic enabler. This short-sighted approach has strangled growth in the sector and left Zimbabwe isolated within its own borders.

This isolation is more than just logistical - it is economic. When businesses cannot move quickly and cheaply between cities, investment slows. When tourists can't afford to visit multiple destinations within the country, tourism revenue is lost. When people can't access job interviews, training, or medical appointments in other cities, social mobility is stunted. The cost of flying in Zimbabwe is not just financial - it's developmental.

Moreover, the lack of domestic connectivity undermines national cohesion. In a country with diverse regions and identities, affordable and reliable travel could bring people together and break down geographic and political silos. Instead, it reinforces existing divisions and inequalities.

What's more troubling is the absence of any serious national conversation about this issue. While the government boasts about infrastructure projects and economic “revival,” little has been done to revive air travel between Zimbabwe's own cities. There is no visible strategy to support domestic aviation, no commitment to reducing airport taxes, and no effort to attract new carriers with viable business models. The so-called Zimbabwe National Development Strategy barely mentions domestic aviation, let alone offers a plan to make it accessible to ordinary citizens.

The truth is that most Zimbabweans will never see the inside of an airport terminal, let alone fly over the land they call home. That should be a national embarrassment, not a forgotten statistic.

If Zimbabwe is serious about modernising its economy and integrating its provinces, it must start by making domestic air travel affordable and reliable. That means rethinking how we tax aviation, supporting competitive carriers, and building a network that connects Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru, Mutare, and Victoria Falls not just to the world - but to each other.

Until then, the skies will remain out of reach for most Zimbabweans - a painful metaphor for a nation that still struggles to connect its people with opportunity.