Zambia Airways To Be Issued Air Operating Certificate

The government has announced that the national airline, Zambia Airways, will soon be issued with its Air Operating Certificate by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Transport and Communications Minister Mutotwe Kafwaya said that the hardest parts of relaunching the national carrier are already being dealt with and that the government will soon be in a position to officially relaunch the airline.

Speaking to Radio Ichengelo on Tuesday evening, Mr Kafwaya said that Covid-19 had delayed preparations somewhat and that it would be up to the airline itself when to start flying. 

“When we issue out the certificate (AOC), company management will then decide when to start operating. We can’t force them to start operating just because they have been given the certificate. So management has to decide based on the business opportunities available and the passengers who are willing to start traveling amidst the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said. 

Zambia Airways went out of business in December 1994 due to mounting debts. In 2018 the government agreed to relaunch the airline, however the date was pushed back to January 2019. 

In early 2019 the relaunch was delayed a second time because the Centre for Trade Policy and Development (CTPD) felt that Zambia was not in a strong enough economic state. 

Mr Kafwaya added that the government was working to revive Zambia’s aviation sector in order to provide the best level of service in the industry.