Zimbabwe to get more flights

Published: 26 June 2014

ZIMBABWE is expecting more airlines to fly into the country following the successful hosting of the 9th edition Routes Africa Forum which ended on Tuesday.

The forum was attended by over 350 delegates.

In an interview at the end of the forum in Victoria Falls, Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) chief executive David Chawota said the country should start planning for increased business opportunities.

"Already two airlines Fly Africa and Fastjet have announced their intentions to service Victoria Falls'Johannesburg and Harare'Dar es Salaam route, respectively. Fly Africa will be an addition to British Airways Comair, SA Airways and Air Zimbabwe. Qatar made announcements that it would be plying the Harare route," he said.

"We have the capacity to handle many airlines in the country. In the 1990s we used to handle more than 40 and ever since we have improved our capacity and we now have modern facilities and improved on our safety record."

Chawota said the forum had turned into an international routes platform which saw delegates from as far as USA, Europe, Middle East and Far East attending the conference.

"This forum was also a marketing gimmick for us where we are saying we should attract more tourists. All these delegates, the facilitators, tour operators, government officials here are our ambassadors," he said.

"It is important for them to be here and see for themselves what is on the ground. We have brought them and they have seen progress for example, the expansion project at Victoria Falls International Airport which will be operational from June next year."

Chawota said the forum was aimed at improving connectivity and as CAAZ they were working on making sure that aviation facilities were in place.

"As CAAZ we have a role to play. Airlines fly their routes and we make sure that the available facilities are there for them to expand their routes," he said.

- The Herald.