Plans for airport hotel advanced
COMPLETION of the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport expansion project has helped improve operational efficiency at the country’s busiest airport. There are also plans to modernise some of the country’s smaller airports. The Sunday Mail’s TANYARADZWA RUSIKE (TR) spoke to Airports Company of Zimbabwe (ACZ) chief executive officer MR TAWANDA GUSHA (TG) on these plans, among others.
TR: Can you outline some of ACZ’s major achievements in 2023?
TG: In 2023, the Airports Company of Zimbabwe completed the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport development project, adding additional departure and arrivals wings.
The airport passenger handling capacity was increased from 2,5 million to six million passengers per annum.
The airport now features new facilities, such as increased aerobridges, increased check-in counters, upgraded security equipment, baggage handling systems and other passenger processing facilities.
Additionally, ACZ attracted four new airlines,
which saw passenger traffic increasing by 22 percent and airline frequencies increasing by 21 percent.
New scheduled domestic flights to Hwange and Kariba were introduced during the course of the year, resulting in the refurbishment of Hwange National Park Airport terminal building. TR: What are your plans to modernise small airports in 2024?
TG: ACZ has a medium-term plan to improve infrastructure at all the other airports, with the aim of modernising the airports and attracting flights to serve tourist resorts and business.
The company also aims to modernise equipment at all airports and intensify route development and destination marketing initiatives to ensure all airports are serviced by scheduled airlines. TR: How has the upgrade of Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport improved efficiency and has it helped attract new airlines into the country? TG: The upgrade of the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport has helped to reduce congestion and improve operational efficiencies through the introduction of new technologies.
The increase in the number of aerobridges from three to seven has also allowed for more airlines to dock at the same time.
The increase in check-in counters has also facilitated the smooth flow of passengers.
The newly upgraded look boosts confidence for potential investors who want to establish themselves in the country. TR: We understand there are plans to reintroduce direct flights between Harare and London. Can you take us through what you have done to ensure the route is revived?
TG: ACZ has been in discussions with local airlines, particularly the national airline, Air Zimbabwe, to relaunch services to London and other international destinations.
Through aggressive route development and destination promotion efforts, the ACZ is engaging airlines from Europe, particularly the UK, to introduce direct services into both Harare and Victoria Falls.
Similar efforts are also directed towards airlines from other regions such as the Middle East, Asia Pacific as well as the Americas. TR: How far has ACZ progressed with its plans to develop a hotel and other amenities at the Victoria Falls International Airport?
TG: We have been scouting for partners for the establishment of airport hotels at the three major airports: Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport; Victoria Falls International Airport; and Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport.
Plans are at an advanced stage on the development of an airport hotel initially at RGM International Airport. TR: How has ACZ’s cooperation with the International Finance Corporation and the World Bank contributed to delivering more business at airports?
TG: The International Finance Corporation and the World Bank engaged an air service development consultant to work on developing new air services into Victoria Falls.
The scope was later on extended to Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport and Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport due to the interdependence of traffic into the three airports.
This cooperation resulted in the attraction of new airlines, such as Eurowings, connecting Victoria Falls with Frankfurt; MackAir, connecting Victoria Falls with Botswana; Ethiopian Airlines into Bulawayo; and the expansion of routes by existing airlines.