Zambian Transport and Communication Minister Mutotwe Kafwaya has advised that the already much-delayed launch of national carrier Zambia Airways (ZN, Lusaka) has been pushed back again, state broadcaster ZNBC said. The carrier is a 55/45 venture between the state-owned Industrial Development Corporation and Ethiopian Airlines (ET, Addis Ababa International).
Speaking in his local constituency recently, Kafwaya said that the current COVID-19 pandemic had affected business and the aviation industry had been badly affected. As a result, it was not an ideal time to launch an airline.
The revitalised national carrier was expected to launch in October 2018 only for it to be delayed until January 2019. When that deadline was looming, the date was pushed back to April 2019, although sources at the time considered 3Q19 more likely. Even that deadline was subsequently missed by the country's government.
The fledgeling carrier is yet to formalise its fleet plans with the Embraer E2 or Airbus' A220 competing for the regional jet opportunity, as well as B737-7 and B787s from Boeing (BOE, Washington National) apparently being considered. However, the airline's Chief Executive Officer, Bruk Endeshaw-Abebe, seconded from Ethiopian Airlines in 2019, was recently quoted in local media as saying Zambia Airways would operate eight aircraft – three Dash 8-400s, two B737-800s and three B787-8s, according to a report in the Mast.
The same report also said the renewed national carrier will incur USD700,000 a month in aircraft leasing charges, which will be paid to partner Ethiopian.
