More than ten aspiring local airlines fail to take off

Published: 10 June 2013
GOVERNMENT has issued permits to more than ten aspiring local airlines intending to service domestic routes, but none have taken to the skies due to capital constraints.

"We have issued permits to a number of players who want to go into aviation but, regrettably, none of them have established consistent scheduled operations," said the Secretary

for Transport, Communications and Infrastructure Development  Mr Munesu Munodawafa in an interview yesterday.

"It is something to do with capital, as they are failing to get credible partners with equipment (planes) and money as well," he said.

The permits are renewed after every three years and most of them are due to expire in 2015.

Air Zimbabwe is the only airline with established domestic scheduled operations. But the national carrier has been unable to service all key domestic routes, including Kariba, Hwange National Park and Buffalo Range.

There are operators who offer chartered services.  Some tourism operators blame poor domestic arrivals due to limited air access.

Meanwhile, Mr Munodawafa said the expansion of the Victoria Falls Airport was progressing well, with the work expected to be completed by December next year. He said the runway, which would accommodate bigger aircraft, would be completed by April next year while a new terminal and tower would be ready in December.

"We will hold a ground-breaking ceremony on April 12 (this year) but a lot of work is currently underway," he told an investment conference in South Africa last week.

"A lot of equipment has been moved to the site. We have sunk five boreholes and we are quite happy with the progress we have made so far."

Government secured a US$150 million loan for the expansion of Victoria Falls Airport from China's Eximbank.

Victoria Falls will co-host the 20th session of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation with Zambia's Livingstone.
- TH
Tags: Airlines,

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