Flights for Livingstone, including Sundays, will depart at 11h30 and land at 13h20. The return service departs at 14h15, arriving in Johannesburg at 15h45.

David Evans, Zambian Airways chief operating officer, noted: “Increased frequency to a daily service is in response to popular demand. Now-defunct Nationwide Airlines operated 11 flights a week between Johannesburg and Livingstone, making it necessary for us to step into the breach following their collapse.

“This is a relatively new route for us and we have been extremely gratified that passengers have been stipulating our flights to their travel agents after a very positive Zambian Airways experience.”

Increased frequency is not a stopgap measure by the Lusaka-based carrier. It was always the strategic intention to build up the Johannesburg-Livingstone route as both business and leisure travel into this part of Zambia has become increasingly popular following sustained economic growth by the copper-rich nation and the successful packaging of its tourist destinations to both regional and overseas visitors.

“We plan to step up our own marketing effort,” added Evans. “At the beginning of May we chose this route to inaugurate our new full-service offering, building on our initial successes as a low-cost airline.

“We have maintained the affordability heritage by offering some of the lowest fuel surcharges in the industry without skimping on friendly, attentive service and quality facilities such as leather seats, refurbished interiors and a world-class menu.

“We are strongly communicating these positives and our Johannesburg sales agents at African Airline Management report they are working overtime to keep up with public demand as good word-of-mouth from early adopters has reinforced our own marketing push.”

[30 May 2008 08:25]

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