ZAMBIA: Zambia Airways Relaunch For January 1st, 2019, 3 More Planes Expected October 2018

Government has announced that three planes to be used by Zambia Airways are expected in the Country next month.

Minister of Transport Brian Mushimba says the planes will initially fly into two regional destinations and domestic routes.

Mr. Mushimba has maintained that the inaugural flights are scheduled for January 1st, 2019.

He says after the signing of an Agreement with Ethiopian Airlines the process is now gaining momentum.

Mr. Mushimba said in a telephone interview that the board of directors has also been appointed but did not disclose names.

Mr. Mushimba anticipates that over 5 hundred jobs will be created directly among Zambians.

He further says the airline will improve aviation services in the country as well as market Zambia as a tourist destination.

The planned relaunch of Zambia Airways has been deferred to January 1st 2019.

It was planned that the new Zambia Airways will take to the skies on October 24th this year, on the occasion of Zambia’s 54th independence anniversary.

But it was announced during the signing ceremony of a shareholder agreement between the Industrial Development Corporation and Ethiopian Airlines that the inaugural flight will only take off on January 1st, 2019.

According to the agreement, IDC owns 55 percent of the shares while Ethiopian Airways has 45 percent.

The Airline has an initial startup capital of US$30 million dollars.

IDC Chief Executive officer Mateyo Kaluba said the establishment of the national airline will deepen and strengthen growth in the country’s industrialization.

On the other hand, Ethiopian Airlines Group Executive Officer Tewolde Gebremarian said his firm will work hard to ensure Zambia Airways succeeds.

Zambian Airways was the flag carrier of Zambia, based in Lusaka, Zambia.

Zambian Airways suspended operations on January 10, 2009.

Mines Air Services Limited (MAS) was incorporated in 1948 as a subsidiary of Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM).

As part of the process of privatisation of the mines, MAS was disposed of by the government of Zambia on 28 April 1998.

MAS purchased two new Raytheon Beech 1900D Airliner aircraft from Raytheon Credit Corporation (RCC) in July and August 1998 respectively.

The company has been operating these two aircraft since then, under the trading name of Zambian Airways.

On 10 January 2009, the company announced it was suspending operations citing high fuel costs as the main reason.

Shareholders were not available for comment in order to answer questions about when or if the airline may commence operations again, but according to the Zambian Minister of Communications and Transport, Dora Siliya, 41 passengers had been stranded in Johannesburg as a direct result of the airline suspension of operations.

The Zambian government announced on 9 February 2009, that it intended to sue Zambian Airways in order to recover the money the airline owes various firms. Its debt was noted to be US$29 million.

The unrelated carrier Zambia Airways was the state-owned Zambian flag carrier which went bankrupt in 1994.

Zambian Airways used to serve the following destinations when it operated:

Democratic Republic of the Congo

- Lubumbashi (Lubumbashi International Airport)

South Africa

- Johannesburg (OR Tambo International Airport)

Tanzania

- Dar es Salaam (Julius Nyerere International Airport)

Zambia

- Chipata (Chipata Airport)

- Livingstone (Livingstone Airport)

- Lusaka (Lusaka International Airport) Hub

- Mfuwe (Mfuwe Airport)

- Ndola (Ndola Airport)

- Solwezi (Solwezi Airport)


Tourism Observer