NEW AIRLINE: Plans Move Ahead for New Zambian Carrier

According to sources in Africa, plans to develop a new national carrier for Zambia are at an advanced stage as investors in South Africa and Zambia work to secure the last of the funding required for launching the carrier. The unnamed investors have reportedly already provided more than $20 million to establish Fly Zambia Airlines, which could inaugurate flights as early as September if it chooses to operate aircraft on ACMI contracts, crewed by a third party.

It is understood that the start-up will initially operate two Fokker 50s and two Fokker 100s on domestic and regional flights and that it has already approached a couple of charter providers to source the equipment. The airline’s backers are also reported to be currently in discussion with the Zambian Government for permission to use the logo of the country’s former flag carrier Zambia Airways. The latter was established in the mid-1960s but suspended operations in 1995 due to growing losses.

The airline’s main regional markets are expected to be the neighbouring countries of Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe, as well as South Africa and Swaziland.

The above table highlights the main traffic flows within Africa from Lusaka. Unsurprisingly OR Tambo International Airport in the South African city of Johannesburg, the closest major international hub to Zambia, is the most travelled route, although strong passenger flows are also reported on links to Harare, Zimbabwe; Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo; Lilongwe, Malawi and the East African gateways of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya.

The above table highlights the main carriers in the Zambian market. As links to Johannesburg are so important to Zambia’s trade, it is no surprise that South African Airways dominates the market by offering more than 3,000 seats on its up to four daily flights to Johannesburg. Local carrier Zambezi Airlines offers flights to four destinations, while Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines utilise widebody aircraft on flights to East Africa. British Airways offers the sole link outside of Africa with a three times weekly flight to London. Although not included in the above table, local carrier Proflight Commuter Services is actually the busiest operator from Lusaka with 39 weekly domestic flights, mainly to Ndola, although it only uses 19-seat BAe Jetstream 32s on its services.

The new start-up is aiming to target both business and leisure travellers and hopes that with the country’s improving economy and with increasing tourism interest in Zambia, now is the right time to be establishing the new venture. The World Bank last year named Zambia as one of the world's fastest economically reforming countries.