Maravi

Govt will consider revisiting Jet A-1 fuel price – Mubika

Govt will consider revisiting Jet A-1 fuel price – Mubika
Written by Katwishi Bwalya
Tuesday, June 16, 2009 2:54:51 PM

COMMUNICATIONS and transport deputy minister Mubika Mubika has said the government will consider possibilities of revisiting the price of Jet A-1 fuel for the aviation industry to succeed.

Speaking when he witnessed the arrival of the newly acquired Boeing 737-500 by Zambezi Airlines at the Lusaka International Airport on Saturday, Mubika said he would table before President Rupiah Banda the issue of the price of Jet A-1 fuel with the possibility of revisiting the commodity’s price.

“The issue that you have raised of Jet A-1 fuel we have heard and I will table the matter before the President to see if we can reduce the price of fuel because it is difficult for you to survive with high prices of fuel,” Mubika said.

He challenged the airline to follow its vision which he said was good.

Mubika said the government was committed to ensuring that the aviation industry in the country grew for it to create employment for many Zambians.

And Zambezi Airlines chief executive officer Cornwell Muleya has refuted reports that the airline planned to cancel local routes to concentrate on international ones.

“What we are doing is partnering with other local airlines so that we see how we can work together by making sure that we don’t go to the same areas and we want to do this by ensuring that we don’t service the same routes,” he said.

Muleya also said the airline had learnt lessons from Zambian Airways.

“We have leant lessons and not only from Zambian Airways but from others as well…one thing we appreciate about Zambian Airways is that it made flying popular in Zambia. We want to take over from where they left so that we satisfy the market,” said Muleya.

Zambian Airways suspended operations early this year owing to operational difficulties mainly arising from the high cost of Jet A1 fuel. Many other airlines across the world have suspended operations, with some cutting down on the number of routes in order to stay afloat amidst rising operational costs in the aviation industry.

Labels: FUEL, MUBIKA MUBIKA

posted by MrK @ 1:53 PM