Zambia Airways launch on hold?

THE launch of Zambia Airways has been put on hold following losses that have hit the aviation industry in the region amid the negative economic effects of covid19 pandemic, the Daily Nation has learnt.

A source close to the business said the launch of the national airline had been quiet because Government had decided to shelf the project for now.

But when contacted, Ministry of Transport and Communication, Permanent Secretary Misheck Lungu, said the national airline matter was now the “baby” of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).

IDC however remained mute on the matter despite requesting for a query.

The source however maintained that owing to the fact that Covid-19 pandemic had affected several airlines in the region, Government had decided to halt the launch of Zambia Airways.

Zambia Airways was initially expected to be re- launched in October 2018, but pushed to January 2019, and when that deadline was looming, the date was pushed to April 2019.

In 2017, Government announced plans to re-launch and operationalise Zambia Airways which ceased operations in December 1994 due to mounting debts and losses.

The carrier is a 55/45 venture between the state-owned Industrial Development Corporation and Ethiopian Airlines.

Many Airlines in the region have suffered revenue loss of between two to three percent following the outbreak of the Coronavirus that has hit several countries forcing travellers to cancel trips abroad.

Last week, South African Airways, the state-owned carrier, suffered the latest in a series of financial setbacks after the government rejected a request by practitioners administering a restructuring of the airline for an additional $526 million in funding.