ZACL in talks with Airlines

By HELEN ZULU –
THE Zambia Airports Corporation Limited (ZACL) is in talks with several international airlines who are interested in flying to Lusaka.
ZACL communication and brand manager Mweembe Sikaulu said the corporation was in talks with several potential clients who were interested in flying to Lusaka, with Qatar Airways set to commence direct flights to Zambia next year.
Ms Sikaulu said as Zambia strives to become an aviation hub in the region, ZACL was engaging a number of airlines to service the country’s routes and create direct flights with different markets in Europe and other regions.
This is according to the Daily Southern African Tourism Update made available in Lusaka yesterday.
“It has been confirmed that Qatar Airways will commence flights here in 2017 and we are currently engaged in talks with Turkish Airlines and Fast jet Airlines to service the Zambian route,” Ms Sikaulu said.
She said the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka was already handling large aircraft such as the Boeing 777, which Ethiopian Airlines and Emirates operated on the route.
Ms Sikaulu said passengers found connecting to different countries to reach a particular destination tiring and time consuming, hence the need for more direct flights to the destinations.
“We want to be able to provide a service that will satisfy our clients and create opportunities for tourism travel in the country. If we have more airlines flying directly into Zambia, this will develop the country’s industry,” she said.
Ms Sikaulu further said Kenya Airways had already unveiled a new Nairobi to Cape Town route via Livingstone.
She said the airline had fifth freedom rights on the route, meaning passengers could embark and disembark at each stop adding that the new route would increase arrivals into Zambia through the resort town.