Nine international airlines proposed to fly into Zimbabwe

The Zimbabwean newspaper The Zimbabwe Independent is reporting in their online issue that a total of nine international airlines have proposed to come back and fly into Zimbabwe in 2011.
The airlines are:

• Air France
• Austrian Airlines
• Egypt Air
• Swiss Air
• Bulgarian Airlines
• Qantas
• Emirates Airways
• KLM
• Lufthansa

According to the Independent this can be seen as a clear indicator towards a development that could see increased traffic and revenue for the Zimbabwean tourism industry if government approves the proposals. The newspaper is unsurprisingly also pointing out that some aviation experts are actually very sceptical that the Zimbabwean government would grant the airlines licences to fly into the country. Air Zimbabwe has been operating at a loss accumulating huge debts since 2000 and has stopped servicing 18 out of 25 former routes. Bringing back the international airlines would therefore offer stiff competition, which is going to be difficult for Air Zimbabwe to handle.

Since 2000 18 international airlines stopped their flights to Harare, including Lufthansa, Qantas, Austrian Airlines, Swissair, Air India, Air France and TAP Air Portugal, as well as the African carriers Egyptair, Air Mauritius, Linhas Aereas de Mocambique, Air Namibia, Royal Swazi Airlines, Air Seychelles, Air Tanzania, Ghana Airways, Air Uganda and Air Cameroon
The only international airlines still operating in Zimbabwe are currently:

• Kenya Airways -  Nairobi <> Harare > 12 times a week
• Ethiopian Airlines - Addis Ababa <> Harare 7 times a week
• South African Airways - Johannesburg <> Harare 7 times a week
• South African Airways - Johannesburg <> Victoria Falls 7 times a week
• British Airways via Comair - Johannesburg <> Victoria Falls 7 times a week
• Air Namibia - Windhoek <> Victoria Falls 7 times a week

We'll keep you post about the developments!