Emirates broadens its African network with Lusaka and Harare launch

Emirates, one of the world's fastest growing airlines, has extended its reach into Africa with the launch of a new linked flights to Harare and Lusaka. Now flying to 22 points within Africa, Emirates will connect Zambia and Zimbabwe to key markets across Europe, the Far East, Australasia and the Indian Subcontinent.

The Dubai-Lusaka-Harare service operates every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday using an A330-200 aircraft in a three class configuration.EK 713 departs Dubai at 0925hrs, arriving in Lusaka at 1450hrs. The onward flights to Harare departs Lusaka at 1620hrs, reaching the Zimbabwean capital at 1720hrs. The return flight leaves Harare at 1920hrs, arriving Lusaka at 2020hrs. It departs Lusaka at 2150hrs, landing in Dubai at 0710hrs the next day.
"Zambia and Zimbabwe are both important emerging business and industrial centres, with economies that are projected to grow by over five per cent annually during the coming years," said Nabil Sultan, Divisional Senior Vice President Revenue Optimisation & Distribution.
He said, "Emirates' new service will play a significant role in supporting this growth by connecting Lusaka and Harare to our worldwide network, opening new conduits for trade, investment and tourism."
On board today's flight were Nabil Sultan, Divisional Senior Vice President Revenue Optimisation & Distribution; Jean Luc Grillet, Senior Vice President Commercial Operations Africa; Muhammed Riza, Manager Commercial Business Development; Duncan Watson, Emirates Regional Manager Cargo Commercial; The Honourable Given Lubinda, Zambian Minister of Foreign Affairs; The Honourable Yamfwa Mukanga, Zambian Minister of Transport, Works, Supply and Communications; The Honourable Fackson Shamenda, Zambian Minister of Tourism; the Honourable Nicholas Goche, Zimbabwean Minister of Transport; Marah Hativagone, Chairperson, Zimbabwean Tourism Council (ZTC); Rueben K. Walobele, Special Assistant to Zambian Minister of Foreign Affairs; Chitalu Kabalika, Aid to Zambian Minister of Transport; Agnes Chaila, Business Development Manager, National Airport Corporation Ltd. (NACL) and Cleophas Mathabire, Aid to the Zimbabwean Minister of Transport.
Upon arrival at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka, Emirates' inaugural Flight 713 was greeted by a traditional water cannon salute.
"Emirates' decision to operate to Lusaka represents new economic doors being opened to our country. The fact that this airline, which is successful on all continents, is entering markets like ours as part of its expansion plans is clear evidence of excellent future prospects for Zambia and Zambians," said the Honourable Given Lubinda, the Zambian Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Emirates services to Lusaka will be a huge boost to its tourism industry, helping to support the Zambia Tourism Board's target for increasing visitor arrivals by 22.5% to one million visitors in 2012.
The onward connection to Harare, operated by Zimbabwean Captain Ca Busiso Ndlovu, also received a warm welcome at Harare International Airport. Later that evening, leading figures from the travel trade, local businesses and the government attended a gala dinner event which featured performances by local stars Victor Kunonga, Dudu Manhenga and Oliver Tuku.
"The arrival of Emirates flights to Zimbabwe is a very significant development for the market. We welcome the entrance of a truly global airline; with an extensive network, large fleet and great reputation for quality service which will greatly improve choice and connectivity for Zimbabwean travelers," said the Honourable Nicholas Goche, Zimbabwean Minister of Transport, Communications and Infrastructural Development. "Emirates will bring greater capacity and fare competitiveness, which will certainly lead to traffic growth to and from Zimbabwe."
It is expected that Emirates' flights to Harare will support the Tourism Ministry's projections that the sector will contribute over $5bn to the Zimbabwean economy by 2015. To support the linked service, Emirates will promote Zambia and Zimbabwe's tourism attractions, including Victoria Falls, the Zambezi River, game reserves and safaris, in advertising campaigns executed across the airline's global network. Emirates Holidays will also feature eight pages on Zimbabwe and Zambia in its 2012 World of Choice brochure.
With a fleet of 169 aircraft, Emirates is the world's largest Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 operator. The airline placed an order for 50 new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft at the Dubai Airshow in November, bringing its total order book to 236 aircraft, worth over $84bn at list prices.
Following the launch of Lusaka and Harare, Emirates will start services to Dallas, Texas on 2nd February and Seattle on 1st March, Ho Chi Minh City on 4th June and Barcelona on 3rd July.

Emirates SkyCargo will landed in Zimbabwe as Air Zimbabwe Woes

Air Zimbabwe which is bedeviled by insolence, and a dearth of planes has been struggling to meet the growing demand and the entrance into the market of, one of the fastest growing international airlines, has bolstered its operations on the booming Africa trade route.

Supporting the thriving trade between Africa and the rest of the world, its weekly cargo capacity into and out of the continent will be over 6,000 tonnes after the launch of flights to Lusaka and Harare on 1st February.

The addition of flights to Zambia and Zimbabwe comes less than three months after the launch of a dedicated weekly flights to Accra and Lome and means Emirates SkyCargo now has a total annual capacity of more than 300,000 tonnes.

“While many regions are experiencing challenging economic conditions, Africa – with a population in excess of one billion and rich in natural resources - is one of the few areas to record growth and the long-term outlook is very positive,” said Ram Menen, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President Cargo. “We expect demand to be strong for a variety of commodities going into and out of Lusaka and Harare and have no doubt the two destinations will be a strong addition to our African network.”

The Dubai-Lusaka-Harare service will be operated five times a week by an A330-200, providing a total weekly cargo capacity of up to 160 tonnes.

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“We have slowly built up our presence on the continent since we launched flights to Cairo in 1986 and in recent years, as Africa started to realise its huge potential, we began flights to Cape Town, Durban, Luanda and Dakar,” added Menen.

“With such a comprehensive service now in place we are in a good position to help sustain Africa’s continued economic development by facilitating international trade with its business partners and opening it up to new markets on our ever-expanding network.”

Zambia has been enjoying an economic boom, driven by record copper prices and continued foreign investment in its mining industry and infrastructure, while Zimbabwe's economy is growing at a brisk pace despite continuing political uncertainty.

Emirates SkyCargo expects to be transporting parts to support the mining and infrastructure sectors – as well as of commodities such as garments, computer parts, and pharmaceuticals - from the likes of the Far East, Australasia, the Indian Subcontinent, Middle East, Europe and North America. Fresh flowers, fruit and vegetables will be among the main commodities shipped in the other direction, while trade is also expected to be generated by neighbouring countries.

EK 713 will depart Dubai on every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 0925hrs, arriving in Lusaka at 1450hrs. The service will depart Lusaka at 1620hrs, arriving in Harare at 1720. The return flight leaves Harare at 1920, arriving Lusaka at 2020. It departs Lusaka at 2150 and lands in Dubai at 0710hrs the next day.

An A330-200 – with a weekly capacity of up to 160 tonnes – will operate every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from Lusaka and Harare to Dubai, providing businesses in Zimbabwe and Zambia the opportunity to connect with trading partners on Emirates SkyCargo’s network of more than 100 destinations.

Emirates SkyCargo operates dedicated freighter services to a number of points throughout Africa, including: Accra, Dakar, Eldoret, Entebbe, Johannesburg, Lilongwe, Lome and Nairobi.

Emirates SkyCargo is the freight division of Emirates and will serve 22 destinations in Africa after Lusaka/Harare comes online. Reflecting Emirates’ overall policy of excellence in every area of operation, Emirates SkyCargo’s investment in highly-qualified staff, the very latest information technology, the most efficient aircraft and the finest ground handling facilities, has made it a significant force in the global air cargo industry.

Following the launch of the Lusaka/Harare service, Emirates SkyCargo will serve a global route network that spans 120 points in 72 countries, including 11 cargo-only destinations, while more than 50 of the locations Emirates SkyCargo serves are e-freight compliant.

Air Zim ordered to pay former manager US$21 000

The struggling national  airline, AIR Zimbabwe has been ordered to pay its former manager Mercy Sanzira US$21 000 as a retrenchment package.

The airline entered into a voluntary retrenchment agreement with Sanzira, but failed to pay her and she took the matter to an arbitrator who ruled in her favour.

"The respondent (Airzim) is hereby ordered to pay to the claimant the full amount of US$20 764,03 at the prescribed rate of five percent per annum in three installments. The first payment should be made within seven days of this order.

"In addition, the respondent is ordered to pay on top of the retrenchment package US$843, which constitutes arrears in the differentials in salary and benefits during the time in question.

"The outstanding arrears are to be paid as a once-off payment within seven days of this order," ruled arbitrator P Mubvumbi.

Sanzira, through her lawyers, Matsikidze and Mucheche, has filed a chamber application at the High Court seeking to register the arbitration award.

On February 28 2010, Sanzira volunteered to go on retrenchment and the employer agreed to pay her US$20 000.

The retrenchment board approved the development but the airline failed to pay the package as agreed, prompting Sanzira to take the matter for arbitration.

The airline argued that it was facing serious cash-flow problems and that it was not able to pay the package.

Airzim sought to make the payment in nine months installments.

Sanzira strongly opposed the application on the basis that Airzim had earlier made some undertakings it failed to fulfill and that the money should be paid in full.

At the end of last year, the arbitrator granted the award trying to balance the interests of the two parties.

The award allowed Airzim to pay the money in three instalments.az

200 Air Zimbabwe passengers remain stuck at Gatwick

At least 200 passengers were left stranded at Gatwick airport on Wednesday, ZimEye has learnt.

Airport officials told Zim Eye that 60 passengers had the previous day on Tuesday been given emergency sleeping facilities and food and the rest randomly put into hotels after an impounded Air Zimbabwe jet was being prepared for a possible auction originally scheduled for Wednesday (yesterday).

Four passengers belonging to the group were reported to have been arrested, another report British Police are yet to respond to, amid evidence that this may have been a mere rumour.

“We had about 60 passengers that stayed over at Gatwitck last night and we made sure that they were catered for, they had food, sleeping facilities and water,” an airport official told ZimEye Wednesday morning. By evening time, it had become clear that the full number was nearing a 200 total with some having to sleep on emmergency beds.

The Air Zimbabwe website was also seen having no update with the lastest news update having been made as far back as July when the company’s management fought media reports that stated the pilots were striking.

Problems haunting the airline were forecasted by the company’s chief executive who in June 2009 said the entity was now cash strapped:
The cash strapped parastatal cited under capitalization, huge debts and critical foreign currency shortages as the major challenges that it is facing. Air Zimbabwe Chief Executive Officer Dr. Chikumba confirmed that up to 480 employees would be retrenched within the next 12 months.

“The airline is in the intensive care unit. We are battling for survival and cannot afford to maintain the current number of employees” said Dr Chikumba as he also pointed out that the company would even afford to employ more than 800 workers.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwean radio personality Ezra Sibanda, among the passengers, was quoted by VOA stating that the situation was chaotic. “We have been camping at the airport without food and other basic necessities,” he said before Air Zimbabwe booked passengers back into a hotel.

The chaos has not only affected those travelers stranded at Gatwick but family and friends waiting for their loved ones back in Zimbabwe.

Former Combined Harare Residents Association chairman Mike Davies was quoted by VOA’s Violet Gonda stating that his wife was one of those stuck at the London airport with little help from the airline.

The outraged Davies vowed that his family will never fly Air Zimbabwe again. He said the situation was “just pathetic” and made a “mockery” of the airline.

“I spoke to my wife and she said the spirit (at Gatwick) is quite good. The Gatwick staff commented how well behaved the Zimbabweans were … She said, ‘Yes, that is the problem with us Zimbabweans, we don’t cause trouble.’”

Air Zimbabwe now US$138 million in debt

Air Zimbabwe is losing US$3.5 million a month and currently has US$138 million of debt, according to the airline’s head, versus US$6 million of debt in 2006.

“Our cost of operating the business sits at about US$6 to US$7.5 million,” Air Zimbabwe Chief Executive Officer Innocent Mavhunga said on Tuesday, Radio VOP reports. “Our income is between US$2.5 and US$3.5 million. So simple mathematics would tell us there is a deficit averaging US$3.5 to US$5 million every month." He said that the state owned airline has US$137.7 million of debt, US$112.7 of which is owed to local creditors.

Mavhunga made the comments at Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on State Enterprises and Parastatals, which asked airline management to discuss the current state of affairs and explain how the airline will overcome its problems.

“On internal debt, statutory obligations to companies like the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority and the National Social Security Authority account for US$38 million, loans from the ministry of transport are up to US$26 million, deferred staff salaries and allowances are US$20 million plus US$12.3 million from our overdraft facility with our banks,” Mavhunga added.

“Our external debt comprises US$4.6 million to the International Air Transport Association and another US$4 million to Global Systems. We also owe our aircraft spares and parts suppliers some money and I think we have about US$5 to US$8 million for navigation services.”

Mavhunga said Air Zimbabwe’s dismal financial situation was due to sanctions and, during the era of the Zimbabwe dollar, the government’s refusal to charge in foreign currency. Other reasons for the airline’s poor performance were repeated pilot strikes, high operational costs from ageing aircraft, reduced passenger confidence in the airline and government interference.

“AirZim has been operating under a deficit since the 1990s and this worsened at the inception of the multiple currency regime,” Mavhunga siaid. “We have become less competitive, hence we have to price our fares slightly below our competitors.”

Several Air Zimbabwe aircraft were earlier this year grounded due to safety concerns and a leased aircraft was taken back after Air Zimbabwe could not pay for it. Of the airline’s fleet of eight aircraft, three are grounded. Such incidents have resulted in a big drop in passenger numbers and some Air Zimbabwe flights this year have flown almost completely empty.

Declining passenger numbers have forced the airline to reduce the number of destinations it services. It currently flies to Harare, Johannesburg, Lusaka, Bulawayo, Victoria Falls and Lubumbashi locally and Malaysia, China and the UK internationally.

Foreign carriers have been taking over the domestic market. “Our market share versus South African Airways is quite low. We control 30% of the Johannesburg route and market, whilst SAA accounts for about 50% of the market and British Airways slightly below 20%,” Mavhunga said.

Mavhunga said that Air Zimbabwe needs to be privatised and needs to retrench 400 employees from its bloated workforce of more than a thousand employees in order to cut costs. The airline consistently struggles to pay its workforce – something that has led to repeated pilot strikes. The airline last paid its workers in June.

“We immediately require US$40 million as working capital because we are operating on a cash-upfront basis with all our service providers and we need to service our creditors. We immediately need to restructure the airline, look at change management, recapitalise and inject a new fleet,” Mavhunga said, adding that it will take up to a year to overcome damage from the recent strikes.

The airline’s general manager Moses Mapanda told the parliamentary committee that attempts to assist Air Zimbabwe by encouraging government officials and MPs to travel on the state airline were not working. “If government officials do not support their own business, how does the shareholder expect Air Zimbabwe to survive?” he asked.