Zambezi Airlines have introduced an airline in Zimbabwe to fly the Harare- Johannesburg, the airline said on Friday. Zambezi airlines joins another airline Fly Kumba which was introduced earlier this year and is flying the Johannesburg and Bulawayo route. Both Zambezi Airlines and Fly Kumba have brought stiff competition to the country’s struggling airline, Air Zimbabwe which is charging more on the same routes.
For a return ticket on flights to Johannesburg from Harare, a passenger pays US 245 dollars at Zambezi Airlines while on Air Zimbabwe one pays US 354 dollars. Fly Kumba charges 1200 rands for its Bulawayo- Johannesburg flight.
Zambezi Airlines introduced its maiden Harare-Johannesburg yesterday at 0830 am and said that it would flights scheduled everyday from Monday to Friday. "Zambezi Airlines are pleased to introduce flights between Harare and Johannesburg with effect from 4th June," the airline said.
The airline boasts of three Boeing 737-500 with 12 premier business class seats and 99 economy class seats. Zambezi flies international flights linking Lusaka, Livingstone, Ndola, Dar es Salaam, Harare and Lilongwe.
The introduction of the Johannesburg-Harare flight by Zambezi airlines will bring competition to Air Zimbabwe which has been struggling over the years to attract passengers due to high ticket costs, flight delays and poor customer service. The national carrier is reportedly making huge losses and is struggling to pay retrenchment packages to over 400 employees that are expected to be retrenched.