Plans are underway to resume direct flights from Zimbabwe to the United Kingdom, a move aimed at boosting trade and to capitalise on the country's centrality in the Sadc region, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona has said.
With thousands of Zimbabweans going to Europe via South Africa, Kenya, Dubai or Ethiopia, the reintroduction of direct flights to the UK would cut costs not only for Zimbabweans but also for travellers in neighbouring countries given Zimbabwe's centrality in the region.
Since the advent of the Second Republic under President Mnangagwa, more than 20 airlines are flying into Zimbabwe, warming up to the President's engagement and re-engagement foreign policy thrust.
This has seen the country being more globally connected thereby improving opportunities for business, tourism, cultural exchanges and increased access to new global markets.
Air Zimbabwe is also set to resume flights from Harare to Johannesburg on July 29 while Uganda Airlines also announced last Wednesday, new services to Harare, as the Zimbabwe's Open Skies Policy, which enhances the country's attractiveness to potential investment and tourism, continues to gain momentum.
Government's adoption of the open skies policy and improved business environment anchored on Zimbabwe's Open for Business policy has seen confidence to invest in the country growing.
In 2022, Air Zimbabwe cleared a US$1,4 million debt it owed to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and focus is now on expanding the international routes network and tapping into global partnerships.
This latest development is expected to boost the tourism sector since the London route is a gateway to many other Western countries.
Addressing journalists in Harare on Monday, Minister Mhona confirmed the latest developments.
"Air Zimbabwe, from July 29 is set to resume the Harare-Johannesburg flight and we are not going to end there but we are also going to resume the Harare-London flight.
"We have seen that many people like to go to England, we want to take advantage of that as a country. Due to where we are located in the region, to have an airline that will fly into Gatwick (in London) is a huge advantage. We are also going to ferry our minerals to UAE passing through the DRC," he said.
Last year, Minister Mhona told the National Assembly that Air Zimbabwe was expecting delivery of a new plane.
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"I am glad to explain that the Government has got a very good policy with regards to air transport. We would also like to resuscitate our London route because we very much want to revive our Western routes in line with our re-engagement policy," he said.
Minister Mhona cleared the air on the alleged ban of Air Zimbabwe planes from flying to London saying Government has since cleared its arrears, adding that the country is now connected to the international communication systems.
In May last year, a new state-of-the-art radio navigation system capable of communicating with at least 200 airplanes at a time was installed at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport as part of the US$153 million expansion of the airport.
The upgrading of facilities at RGM Airport is expected to see more international airlines opening routes into Harare and a corresponding increase in tourist arrivals.
The RGM International Airport is set to become a regional aviation hub able to handle about 6 million passengers annually, from the present 2,5 million.
