Zambia Govt still looking for a partner in the establishment of a national airline

 

The Zambian Government is consulting renowned airlines to get experience as it looks for an equity partner to set up a national airline. Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications Yamfwa Mukanga said Government is still looking for a partner in the establishment of a national flag carrier. Mr Mukanga said in an interview recently that running an airline industry is not an easy thing, hence the need by Government to enquire from firms that have been in the aviation sector for long. He said Government will not sit idle but keep on working towards the introduction of an effective airline that can contribute significantly to the country’s economic growth.

 

Recently, Government sent a delegation to the Middle East state of Qatar to consult on how it can help Zambia set up a national airline and a become a central hub in passenger and cargo traffic. He said Government has learnt a lot of lessons from the defunct Zambia Airways that collapsed a few years ago including other international airlines that are not operating. “We have visited Boeing, Airbus and now the Qatar government to ask them if they can consider Zambia and come on board for the establishment of an airline and a hub. We want to partner with big players so that we lessen the high capital costs of establishing the airline.

 

“We know how to run an airline – we ran Zambia Airways … [although] it went down. This time around we don’t want to make the same mistake like we did with Zambia Airways,” Mr Mukanga said. The minister said if Zambia becomes a central hub, it will help sustain economic development and help boost the aviation and tourism sectors. He said Zambia has a geographical advantage over most African countries hence this could benefit the country from trade that will be passing through the airport.

 

“The mission to Qatar was to see whether they can set up a hub here in Central Africa because our position is that if Zambia was a central hub, then everybody else will try to feed in and out of the country … it will be very good for us because I believe if we make Zambia a hub then transport and cost of doing business will be reduced,” he said. Mr Mukanga, however, said he is yet to get a full report from the team that went to Qatar. “They just came back and they will be giving us an update on what they discussed because we are asking from our cooperating partners – those who would want to come on board and help us,” he said.

 

Source: LusakaTimes

Proflight Zambia Planning New Routes

 

Proflight Zambia has unveiled plans to add three further international destinations to its growing schedule by mid-2014, effectively making Lusaka a regional hub for air travel. Following the successful launch of its first international service, from Lusaka to Lilongwe, on June 4, Zambia’s only locally registered scheduled carrier is now planning to fly from Ndola to Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with connections between Ndola and Lusaka.The airline is also considering services to Harare, Dar es Salaam, Tete and Johannesburg, subject to regulatory approval.

 

With the introduction of the Malawi route, Proflight Zambia currently operates ten scheduled routes

using nine aircraft, including a 105-seat Boeing 737 aircraft which was recently added to the Proflight fleet as the airline's first jet aircraft. “We believe that after years of prudent, steady growth, Proflight Zambia has now built a solid base and reached a critical mass from which it can expand into regional markets, heeding the requests of our customers,” said Proflight Director of Government and Industry Affairs Capt. Philip Lemba. “Lusaka is a natural choice as a hub, and Proflight is determined to be a standard bearer for Zambian aviation throughout the region.”

 

Proflight is keen to introduce flights to Johannesburg from Lusaka and is examining the option of flying into the smaller Lanseria airport, for which costs are lower than that of the city’s main OR Tambo (ORT) International airport. Proflight’s service to Johannesburg would allow connections via shuttle bus from Lanseria to ORT as well as shuttles to the Rivonia and Centurion Gautrains.  

 

The airline celebrates 22 years of operation this year, and has grown from operating a single aircraft to a fleet of nine serving nine domestic destinations and one international route. It prides itself in providing a safe, reliable, efficient and friendly service and is determined to continue its strategy of steady expansion.

 

Visit fly Zambia for more information

Etihad and SAA announce Codeshare Agreement

Etihad and SAA this morning signed a Memorandum of Understanding which involves codeshare agreements between the two airlines. SAA will codeshare on 12 of Etihad Airways flights to Abu Dhabi and beyond while Etihad will place their code on 10 cities in parts of Southern Africa. Etihad will place the EY code on the following cities served by South African Airways out of Johannesburg; Cape Town, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth, Livingstone, Lusaka, Ndola, Harare and Victoria Falls. The agreement will also allow passengers to earn and redeem miles through the frequent flyer programmes.



Source: Emirates 24/7