The national airline, Air Zimbabwe, has signed code share agreements with Air Malawi and Zambia Skyways that will see its flights to London and Dubai go via Lusaka and Lilongwe, the state media New Zianz reported on Monday.

 

The three airlines signed the agreements in Harare last weekend, the day the operations formally begin.

 

Under the agreements, Air Zimbabwe will, using its Boeing 767 aircraft, operate the Harare-Lilongwe- London route once a week and the Harare-Lusaka-London route twice per week.

 

Air Zimbabwe will also operate two flights a week to Dubai going through Lusaka and Lilongwe under the new deal.

 

Air Zimbabwe chairman Mike Bimha said the partnerships would ensure efficient use of resources jointly and in a cost effective manner.

 

He said the deal would also open opportunities for foreign currency generation for the national airline that currently faces a number of operational challenges, among them shortages of Jet A1 fuel.

 

Bimha said there was also huge potential for tourism growth as all the three partners have exciting attractions that could benefit from joint packaging and marketing.

 

Chairman of Zambia Skyways, one of Zambia's leading private airlines, Yousuf Zumla said the commencement of direct flights to London and Dubai would develop significant growth in Zambia's tourism industry.

 

He said the partnership would also open up employment opportunities in the airline industry for personnel who were trained during the time of the Zambian Airways.   

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 5, 2006)