Zimbabwe to Resume Direct Flights to UK

by Priviledge Zviregei

Plans are underway to reintroduce direct flights from Zimbabwe to the United Kingdom, a move aimed at boosting trade and capitalizing on the country’s strategic location in the SADC region, announced Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona.

With thousands of Zimbabweans currently traveling to Europe via South Africa, Kenya, Dubai or Ethiopia, the resumption of direct flights to the UK would cut costs not only for Zimbabweans but also for travelers from neighboring countries, given Zimbabwe’s centrality in the region.

“Air Zimbabwe, from July 29 is set to resume the Harare-Johannesburg flight and we are not going to end there but we are also going to resume the Harare-London flight,” said Minister Mhona. “We have seen that many people like to go to England, we want to take advantage of that as a country. Due to where we are located in the region, to have an airline that will fly into Gatwick (in London) is a huge advantage.”

The announcement comes as the government’s adoption of an “Open Skies” policy and improved business environment have seen more than 20 airlines flying into Zimbabwe since the advent of the Second Republic under President Emmerson Mnangagwa. This has enhanced the country’s global connectivity, opening up opportunities for business, tourism, cultural exchanges and access to new markets.

Air Zimbabwe is also set to resume flights from Harare to Johannesburg on July 29, while Uganda Airlines has announced new services to Harare, further boosting the country’s aviation sector.

“We are also going to ferry our minerals to UAE passing through the DRC,” Minister Mhona added, highlighting the broader economic benefits of the country’s improved air connectivity.

The upgrading of facilities at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, including the installation of a new state-of-the-art radio navigation system, is expected to see more international airlines opening routes into Harare and a corresponding increase in tourist arrivals. The airport is set to become a regional aviation hub capable of handling up to 6 million passengers annually, up from the current 2.5 million.

The reintroduction of direct flights to the UK is seen as a significant step in the government’s re-engagement efforts and a boost for both trade and tourism between Zimbabwe and its Western partners.