THE DAY ZAMBIA AIRWAYS VANISHED FROM THE SKY
IT was one of those typical evenings when everybody became glued to the TV eagerly waiting for the main news on national television.
But on that particular day, what kept viewers determined was a special announcement on national television that the then Vice President, Brigadier-General Godfrey Miyanda, was to make a major pronouncement to the public.
As usual, the national anthem was played before the live broadcast by the vice president which was also aired live on state radio, as Zambians waited anxiously to hear what the news was all about.
In his opening remarks, BrigGen Miyanda indicated that what he was about to announce to the nation, though painful, was a decision that was unavoidable since there was no choice to reverse it.
It was on this fateful day of December 4th, 1994, that BrigGen Miyanda broke the news, announcingthat Zambia Airways was no more as government decided the company enters into liquidation.
This development sent shock waves among several Zambia Airways employees most of whom were reported to have wept uncontrollably after the news unfolded.
The closure of Zambia Airways paralysed operations of its suppliers, travel agencies and contractors as their companies shut.
Mixed reactions followed among cross sections of society regarding the closure of the airline with some analysts saying the liquidation, which saw over 1, 000 job losses, was one of the greatest mistakes that the country had ever made.
Zambia Airways was wellknown for its good service and customer relations on the interna- tional market as well as a catalyst for promotion of Zambia’s tourism abroad.
Among the major reasons for the airline’s closure included the staggering debts arising from losses covered by government.
During that financial crisis period, the International Air Traffic Association (IATA) suspended the airline for failing to settle arrears in excess of US$5 million while its biggest aircraft, a DC-10, was grounded for over a week when the Italian air company, Alitalia, refused to carry out routine maintenance work because the airline failed to settle a multi-million dollar debt.
Added to this gloom was the impounding in London of the Nkwazi jet.
The American firm, Greyhound, had meanwhile taken legal action against the airline for not settling an US$8.9 million loan acquired for aircraft refurbishment.
However, in an attempt to recover from this burden, the airline came up with survival plans which saw spending cuts with some station managers recalled from abroad while a DC-8 was sold.
The pilots’ daily transit allowances were drastically reduced from US$115 to U$90 while a 23 percent tax was slapped on all concessionary tickets.
Thereafter an exercise to lay off hundreds of its 1, 378 strong work force began.
Today, the story of Zambia Airways demise could be likened to a funeral which evokes sad memories and unending grief and sorrow.
With this chapter closed, another has opened on a positive note as the current government of President Edgar Lungu revives and brings lost glory to this national pride.
The resuscitation of Zambia Airways follows a recent agreement with Ethiopian Airlines to relaunch Zambia’s national flag carrier.
Ethiopian Airlines operates and manages Malawi Airlines through a deal signed in 2013. It also has a deal with ASKY, a West African airline whose shareholders include the ECOWAS regional bloc of countries and a number of banks.
Transport and Communications Minister, Brian Mushimba, has since disclosed that the long awaited national airline will be launched on October 24th 2018 which coincides with Zambia’s Independence Day during which President Lungu would be in the
inaugural flight accompanied by senior government officials and Journalists.
“When the plans are finished, Zambia will be an attractive last stop and this will create an opportunity for the people to open either direct or indirect business.” said Mr. Mushimba when he addressed journalists at the PF Interactive Forum in Lusaka.
The relaunch project comes few months after Cabinet agreed to set aside US$30 million for the project.
Following the latest developments, mixed reactions have come to the fore, some partisan while others are viewed as concrete.
Speaking when he featured on Hot FM’s Live Hot Seat programme recently, UPND president, Hakainde Hichilema, claimed that government’s move to relaunch the airline was a waste of taxpayers’ money saying it was not economically viable.
But most analysts have showered praise on President Lungu, noting that the relaunch of the airline would boost the country’s tourism through inflows while generating the much needed foreign exchange.
Research in the archives indicates that Zambia Airways was founded in 1964 as a subsidiary of Central African Airways. The original fleet consisted 3. of two Douglas DC-3 and three Y, DHC-2 Beaver. e By 1967 Zambia Airways had es become independent of Central African Airways and acquired
a pair of BAC 1-11-207s and a aa, couple of HS.748s. They also leased from Alitalia g a DC-8 with which services from e Lusaka to London were started. 8 Originally the London route was ’s utilised twice a week with intermediate h stops at Nairobi, Kenya, e and Rome, Italy.
In 1975 the Boeing 707 replaced the DC-8 and the Boeing 737–200 replaced the BAC 1-11s and was often put into service to Johannesburg and other mediumhaul routes.
The wide body era arrived in 1984 with the acquisition of a DC-10, the only wide body used by Zambia Airways and was used to open a route to New York via Monrovia.
This first DC-10, registered number 348 and christened “Nkwazi,” was reportedly a point of national pride for many Zambian citizens.
Accordingly, Zambia Airways last operated in 1995 after the airline scaled back both domestic and international flights.
Zambia Airways Corporation: Zambia (1967-1994)
Below are some of the facts in chronological order compiled by www.WorldHistory.Biz
January 1, 1968, BAC 1-11207 services are introduced by Zambia’s new flag carrier on regional routes to Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, and Mauritius. The four original Zambia Airways, Ltd. Douglas DC-3s continue to provide domestic services. 24-08-2015, 03:02 General Manager Francesco Basale, on loan under a management contract signed with Alitalia, S. p.A., provides leadership in support of the initiation of new international services. Employing a Douglas DC-843 leased from Alitalia, S. p.A., Lusaka to London flights are inaugurated in November via Nairobi and Rome. This one service doubles the length of the route network to 12,000 miles.
Airline employment at Chairman Tom. M. D. Mtine’s airline in 1969 is 854. Flights to Mauritius commence in November and enplanements for the year total 143,789.
The workforce grows 11% in 1970 to 960. Three owned Hawker Sid-deley HS 748s and a chartered DC-8-43 are delivered by Alitalia, the latter allowing startup in February of the carrier’s first London service with owned aircraft.
Freight soars 52.8% and passenger boardings climb 22.39% to 185,271. Simon C. Katilungu becomes chairman in 1971, while Roberto Tarantino rotates in as the new Italian general manager. A bilateral agreement is signed between Zambia and Botswana in February 1972, allowing ZAC to commence service to Gaborone. Two more HS-748s begin plying regional routes in 1973. The first Boeing Stratoliner, a B707-343C, is delivered in 1974, while the subsidiary National Air Charters, S. A. is formed during the latter year.
Early in 1975, the company’s two BAC 1-11-207s are sold to Dan-Air, Ltd. /Dan-Air Services, Ltd. and are turned over on March 29. Meanwhile, the Alitalia, S. p.A. management contract is replaced by one signed with Aer Lingus Irish Airlines, Ltd. A B707-348B, leased from the Irish carrier, is delivered on March 24.
The Irish Stratoliner begins nonstop Lusaka to London roundtrips on April 1. The leased Alitalia, S. p.A. DC-8-43 is now returned. Routes are extended or improved throughout the remainder of the decade to a total of 12 domestic points as well as Lones don, Frankfurt, Rome, Salisbury (Harare), Johannesburg, Lilongwe, and Nairobi.
A Boeing 737-2M9A is acquired in 1983. As the result of engine problems, an HS 748-2A with 4 crew and 42 passengers aborts its takeoff from Kasaba on July 4, but runs off the end of the runway and is damaged; there are no injuries reported.
Company pilots, of whom nearly 70% are now Zambian nationals, continue to employ for training the B-707 simulators of Deutsche Lufthansa, A. G. and the B-737 simulators of Aer Lingus Irish Airlines, Ltd.
The employee population stands at 1, 686 in 1984. Managing Director Oliver Chama is suddenly replaced at the beginning of July by Lawrence Bwalya who, like his predecessor, has no airline experience.
A January 1986 contract is signed with Deutsche Lufthansa, A. G. authorising the German flag carrier’s experts to conduct a comprehensive review of technical and operational departments. In September, Capt. Godfrey M. Mulundika is named managing director. Meanwhile, a weekly flight is started to Matsapa, Swaziland, via Gaborone. Operations continue apace in 1987.
The workforce is increased to 2, 130 in 1991 and the fleet now includes 2 ATR42-320s and 1 each B-737-2M9A, B737-291A, B-757-23APF, and DC-10-30. Orders are outstanding for a McDonnell Douglas MD-11.
Following the outbreak of the Mideast war on January 17, together with higher fuel bills, avgas is no longer uplifted in Lusaka on international flights and service is suspended to Kitwe, Lubumbashi, Mansa, and Mongu. Managing Director Mulundika is succeeded by Luke Mbewe in February. Also early in the year, Lome, Togo, is substituted for Monrovia, Liberia, on the Lusaka to New York route. In March, a DC-8-71, configured with a 200-seat, 2-class interior, is acquired.
During the summer of 1995, the company’s DC-10-30, Nkwazi, is sold to Monarch Air Lines, Ltd.
A marketing and code-sharing agreement is signed with South African Airways (Pty.), Ltd. When the pact begins on April 18, Solly Patel becomes managing director and SAA takes over the smaller line’s Lusaka to Johannesburg route, operating larger equipment six times a week until Zambia Skyways can obtain Western jetliners of its own over the next 18 months. Patel confirms that qualified Zambia aircrew personnel only will be employed to fly the new aircraft.
Now that all attention is on Independence Day ahead of the spectacular relaunch of Zambia Airways, it is imperative that Zambians fully support this noble project unlike armchair critics who offer no solutions and previously disparaged their own country for not having a national airline.