The Sunday Mail
VIC FALLS Airways, a new indigenous aviation firm licensed by the Transport and Infrastructural Development Ministry to ply international routes, is set to take to the skies once all regulatory approvals have been granted.
As stipulated by its licence, Vic Falls Airways has until November to start operating, though flights are likely to only start early next year.
Pursuant to the open skies policy, Government has issued more than 10 permits to local airlines that have, however, failed to take off.
Government was previously accused of protecting national carrier Air Zimbabwe by reserving lucrative routes such as Harare-Victoria Falls and Harare-London.
Now Vic Falls Airways has been offered these routes.
The company needs an air operator’s certificate (AOC) from the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe.
An AOC is the approval granted by a country’s aviation authority to an aircraft operator to allow it to fly for commercial purposes. It requires the operator to have personnel, assets and systems in place to ensure safety of employees and the general public.
The certificate will list the aircraft types and registrations to be used, for what purpose and in what area (specific airports or geographic region).
Vic Falls Airways board chairman Mr Table Masiwa said they were finalising the necessary regulatory requirements for possible take-off early next year. “We are currently in the process of acquiring an Air Operator’s Certificate pending official designation by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development.
“The airline is engaging reputable airlines and leasing companies to lease aircraft for the proposed operations with the start date scheduled for November 2014,” said Mr Masiwa.
He said the company had secured a B767-200 aircraft, which has already gone through a major maintenance check at Harare International Airport.
In granting the route licence in July this year, Secretary for Transport Mr Munesu Munodawafa said: “Your request for the named routes has been approved, in addition to routes allocated by the ministry on our letter dated 31 August 2011.
“Thus for the avoidance of doubt, the following routes are available to you: Harare-Buffalo Range, Harare-Kariba, Harare-Hwange, Harare-Beitbridge, Harare-Johannesburg, Harare-London, Harare-Guangzhou.
“Please note that these routes will be nullified if you fail to provide any services within six months from the date of allocation. The ministry will process your designation to the countries which you shall be plying to after you acquire your air operating certificate.
“Please be reminded that your air service permit is due to expire on the 29th of November 2014 and we expect that you resume operations in line with your permit before its expiry.”
CAAZ general manager Mr David Chaota said there was need for the new business to get technical certification.
“They haven’t approached us. I have not issued an AOC, and they (Vic Falls Airways) know what to do. They should come for the technical certification,” said Mr Chaota.
Vic Falls Airways is confident that it can generate in excess of US$10 million in the first six months of operation.
The company intends to lease a 12 to 16-seater airline for thin domestic routes, a 50-seater Embraer jet for regional operations, an A320 or 737-500 for the Johannesburg route, and a B777-200 or A330-200 or 767-200er for other international operations.
The fleet will cater for both passenger (including charter services) and cargo requirements. Vic Falls Airlines aims to expand its fleet size and scope on a dry-lease to at least double its initial capacity by the third year of operations.
“We will aim to use the leased small aircraft to provide daily frequencies to Kariba, to Beitbridge via Buffalo Range. We eventually intend to use a leased 50-seater on these routes as demand grows, and these will also be used as back-up on the Johannesburg route when loads are thin,” said the company last week.
The airline will fly into London twice a week and there are plans to have the same frequency for Guangzhou and Johannesburg.
Air Zimbabwe stopped flying to London in 2012 amid a crippling financial crisis.
