Story by Memory Chamisa
AIR Zimbabwe is set to resume direct flights between Harare and London from July 1, marking the return of one of the national carrier’s most important international routes.
The development is expected to improve connectivity for travellers, businesspeople, tourists and Zimbabweans living in the United Kingdom, many of whom have relied on connecting flights through Europe, the Middle East and regional hubs since the service was suspended.
Earlier this year, speaking during a public lecture at the Harare Institute of Technology (HIT), Mutapa Investment Fund Chief Executive Officer, Dr John Mangudya revealed that the airline’s return to the route would be on a wet-lease basis.
The relaunch forms part of efforts to increase flight frequencies across domestic, regional and international destinations following the suspension of Air Zimbabwe’s London operations in 2012 due to fleet depletion and operational challenges.
The Harare–London route has historically been regarded as the airline’s flagship international service, generating substantial passenger and cargo traffic.
The resumption of direct flights is also expected to support broader plans to revitalise the national carrier and strengthen its operational capacity as it seeks to expand its footprint in key international markets.
