Zimbabwe: Fastjet Adds New Fleet

Domestic tourism in Zimbabwe will increase as fastjet Zimbabwe welcomed the first of three Embraer 120, a 30-seater aircraft, to its Harare base.

The arrival of the first of three Embraer 120 aircraft will be used to operate domestic flights to Kariba and Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe.

fastjet spokesperson Mr Nunurai Ndawana said the new routes will bring the domestic destinations that the airline operates in Zimbabwe to five after Harare, Victoria Falls and Bulawayo offering customers seamless connections to Zimbabwe's top domestic tourism destinations.

"We are delighted to welcome this aircraft to serve our domestic new routes to Kariba and Hwange National Park," he said.

"Air connectivity is a key enabler for tourism development, and we continue to demonstrate our commitment to the development of tourism in Zimbabwe and the region.

"We are finalising our preparations for the launch of flights to Kariba and Hwange National Park.

"The arrival of this aircraft will see us concluding the mandatory regulatory processes in operating flights to these strategic destinations in the development of tourism in Zimbabwe.

"In preparation for these route launches the aircraft will operate a series of ad-hoc charter flights around Zimbabwe ahead of the full scheduled launch."

The new flights are available for booking via the fastjet website, App and the usual online trade portals.

Airports Companies of Zimbabwe public relations and communications manager Mr Tonderai Mangombe said the introduction of new aircraft destinations by fastjet was a boost in domestic tourism.

"We have eight airports in Zimbabwe of which five are small airports not being serviced by scheduled operations and the coming in of this Embraer 120 is good news to us. We are going to use all our airports and this is evidence.

"They have announced that they will be starting services on March 23 to Kariba and Hwange but now seeing the aircraft already on the ground and it shows their seriousness to operate. We are excited as the Airports Company of Zimbabwe," he said.

fastjet is a multi-award winning African airline that began flight operations in 2012.

The airline will connects five centres in Zimbabwe by flying between Harare and Victoria Falls, Harare and Bulawayo, Harare and Kariba, Victoria Falls and Hwange National Park and Victoria Falls to Kariba.

In addition, fastjet offers international flights from Harare, Bulawayo and Victoria Falls to Johannesburg in South Africa, and from Victoria Falls to Mbombela (Kruger), Nelspruit, Mpumalanga in South Africa and Maun in Botswana.

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