The Sunday News
Noble Ncube, Business Reporter
AIR Namibia is undertaking a feasibility study and working on final stages to launch the first ever route between Bulawayo and Windhoek with plans to commence flights in April next year, an official has said.
In an interview, Air Namibia country manager for Zimbabwe Mr Forbes Zaranyika said plans to introduce flights between the two cities were at an advanced stage.
He said the increasing number of travellers from Bulawayo to Windhoek and back made the airline to come up with a flight linking the two cities.
Air Namibia is already servicing the Windhoek-Harare and the Windhoek-Victoria Falls routes at least four times a week.
“As a result of an increase in people travelling between the two cities, we decided to have a flight for the route Windhoek-Bulawayo. We are still finalising the arrangements for that to happen. I can say we are at an advanced stage. We are doing our studies and looking at the traffic movements in detail.
“Because it will be the first ever route, we are still looking at the cost and risks of operating that route. We are also still looking and working on whether to launch it via Victoria Falls or through Botswana,” he said.
Mr Zaranyika said a significant increase in the number of people travelling between Bulawayo and Windhoek could push for the introduction of a flight.
Zimbabwe has necessitated trade relations with Namibia as more people frequent that country’s cities and towns for various business activities.
Mr Zaranyika said his company was anticipating that the number of people travelling between the two countries would continue to increase, hence the need for more flights. He said the business to business traffic between the two countries was also a growing market for Air Namibia.
Zimbabwe and Namibia have signed various bilateral agreements that include export of agricultural produce and skilled professions like nurses. There is also a growing number of Namibians who come to study at local institutions.
There are a lot of Zimbabweans who are officially in Namibia and as a result there has been a development of traffic in form of visits by friends and relatives.
“Namibia is also promoting Zimbabwe as a destination for its nationals. There is also traffic for traders, people going to Walvis Bay to clear their goods that are coming by sea. There are a lot of vehicles that are coming from Europe,” said Mr Zaranyika.
Besides the Harare and Victoria Falls routes, Air Namibia also services the Johannesburg, Cape Town, Luanda, Lusaka and Maun routes with Durban set to be re-introduced in November. Mr Zaranyika said plans were also in place to re-introduce Gaborone and Accra via Lagos routes separately.
“As part of our expansion and integrating the southern region, we also have plans to re-introduce the Gaborone and Accra via Lagos routes. We are re-introducing the Durban route before end of year,” said Mr Zaranyika.
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