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Zambian Airways launches direct flights to Solwezi, Lubumbashi

Zambian Airways launches direct flights to Solwezi, Lubumbashi
By Kabanda Chulu
Thursday November 08, 2007 [03:00]

ZAMBIAN Airways marketing manager Jane Kelly yesterday said there was need for the airline to participate in the economic developments taking place in North Western Province. Announcing the launch of direct flights to Solwezi and Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kelly said there was a huge demand for airline services from the mining sector in the new destinations. She explained that Zambian Airways stopped servicing the Solwezi route last year due to the low levels of business activities during that time.

“We have added two new destinations to our current flight schedule and even more affordable fares will be offered to our customers to enhance great value on both domestic and regional flights,” said Kelly. “We are doing this because business in the mining sector is thriving, hence increasing demand for airline services due to the economic developments taking place in the area, and there is also demand from traders in Lubumbashi.”

The airline will be flying a direct service to both Lubumbashi and Solwezi three times a week with direct connections through to both domestic and regional destinations.
In addition, Zambian Airways has revised its regional operations to include twice-daily flights from Lusaka to Johannesburg with new mid-day flights, direct flights from Ndola to Johannesburg four times a week.

The Solwezi destination becomes the fifth route on the domestic flight schedule following Chipata, Mfuwe, Livingstone and Ndola.
Zambian Airways was established 10 years ago and has a fleet of five aircraft that is, two Boeing 737 200 series, two Beechcraft 1900Dx and one Embraer.

Last year, the company recorded a turnover of US $25million to break into the top five bracket of wholly owned Zambian entities.
Over the last year, the airline carried 200,000 passengers thus recording a 300 per cent increase over the 2005 figures and from January to date, Zambian Airways has carried 47,000 passengers to the key tourist destinations of Livingstone and Mfuwe.

The Company employs 160 members of staff with 97 per cent being Zambians. It also creates over 500 jobs indirectly, within the local economy.

Labels: ZAMBIAN AIRWAYS

posted by MrK @ 5:18 AM