Zambia Airways sets late 4Q21 launch plan in motion

Air Congo to debut with 10 aircraft in late 4Q21

Air Congo – the new joint venture between Ethiopian Airlines and the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – is to debut in early December with a fleet of 10 aircraft comprising a mixed fleet of turboprops, narrowbodies, and wide-bodies, says Ethiopian Airlines Chief Executive Officer, Tewolde GebreMariam.

“We just signed [an agreement] with the government of DRC, which owns 51% of the airline and 49% is with us. The fleet will comprise DHC-8-Q400s, Boeing B737s, and two B787s,” he said in an interview with journalist Kurt Hofmann published by Sam Chui Aviation & Travel.

Ethiopian would provide all the necessary equipment, management, and operational support to get the new airline off the ground, he said, including aircraft, pilots, technicians, and leadership.

“We have the AOC, the aircraft," Tewolde added without specifying whether the AOC is a greenfield document or an existing one with an existing airline.

While the DRC – the third-largest population in Africa with 100 million inhabitants – presented a significant market opportunity for Ethiopian,...

Lusaka demands refunds for Zambia Airways aircraft

Lusaka defers Zambia Airways relaunch amid project review

Zambia Airways announces late 3Q21 debut

The new Zambia Airways (ZN, Lusaka) is to launch commercial operations on September 30, 2021, according to an announcement by the airline’s board.

Speaking at a news conference in the Zambian capital Lusaka on August 10, Board chairperson Bonaventure Mutale said the new national carrier would commence operations on domestic routes to Livingstone, Ndola, and Solwezi, plus regional routes to Johannesburg O.R. Tambo (South Africa), and Harare Int'l (Zimbabwe), using a fleet of three leased aircraft including two DHC-8-Q400s and one B737-800, reported The Lusaka Times. As previously reported, the aircraft are expected to be sourced from Ethiopian Airlines, which operates a fleet of twenty-seven Q400s and sixteen B737-800s, according to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module.

The new Zambia Airways is a joint venture established in August 2018 between the Industrial Development Corporation Limited (IDC), which holds 55% shareholding, and Ethiopian Airlines (ET, Addis Ababa), with 45% ownership. Mutale said the shareholders had contributed USD30 million in capital towards the establishment of the airline.