The Eswatini Kingdom is looking to cement its relationship with the Zulu Monarch and its people by naming one of its Airbuses after King Misuzulu kaZwelithini.

The announcement was made after an eSwatini Airways aircraft landed at Long Shaka International Airport in Durban on Friday, marking the launch of the new route between Eswatini and KwaZulu-Natal.

Moses Vilakati, the Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs in Eswatini, expressed his country's desire to maintain a strong relationship with the KwaZulu-Natal Province.

"We can never rule out our wish that we want to name one of the Eswatini Airbuses after the Zulu Monarch," Vilakati said.

"We have already started to honour the Zulu monarch with our first air route to King Shaka International Airport. So it's going to be very important for us to name one of our airlines after the reigning King of the Zulu nation."

For years, Eswatini has been attempting to secure a license to have an air route to South Africa, particularly in KwaZulu Natal.

With the launch of the new route, the airline will fly between eSwatini and Durban three times a week.

According to Neville Matjie, CEO of Trade and Investment KZN, the air route to eSwatini will also provide a convenient route to Zimbabwe via eSwatini.

"This will assist KZN in the promotion of its tourism and economic growth," said Matjie. "It will also help KZN connect easier with other SADC regions for the purpose of economic development."

The new route will decrease travelling time between the two destinations from six hours to just one hour.

MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs Sboniso Duma hailed the development, saying, "It's going to be history to be stuck on the N2 to eSwatini."

Pictured above: The first eSwatini airline touched down at King International Airport in Durban on Friday.

Image source: Supplied