Ministry of Transport and communications has disclosed that plans of re-launching the National Airline are on course and that the project is on stage three of its certification process and awaits certification process from the Civil Aviation Authority before completion.
The Transport Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Misheck Lungu has told the Zambian Business Times – ZBT in an exclusive interview that the ministry has already issued the air operators service permit and is yet to complete with the air certification process from the Civil Aviation Authority – CAA.
He added that the board has so far completed stage one and two of the process but that the third stage is stiff, as it requires more hence need guidance from stakeholders. He has mentioned that the ministry is a complaint state and will not use its office to push the launch without proper procedures and national regulations hence has no influence of making a quick decision as when the National Airline should start.
Lungu explained that the National Airline will make its first flight to Johannesburg in South Africa adding that the focus is also on domestic and regional flights hence will identify cities and towns with bigger markets.
“The ministry can’t say much at the moment because we are still in the process of certification and our role is to coordinate and give regulations, so we don’t want to use our power to issue the certificate hence will follow procedures of having it from the Civil Aviation Authority because it will help us tighten up, moreover aviation is about service and security”, he said.
The PS has further disclosed that Zambia will maintain its partnership with Ethiopia, as it owns 45% shares in the National Airline project while Zambia owns 55% hence returns of investments are to be made from both sides.
Meanwhile, in an open letter, which was obtained by the Zambian Business – ZBT last month, the Center for Trade and Policy Development – CTPD advised government to hold on the re-launch of the National Airline till Zambia is a better macroeconomic position.
CTPD researcher Bright Chizonde said a research conducted by the center indicated that relaunching the National Airline carrier was not prudent due to Zambia’s current financial and macroeconomic situation.
“Zambia has a vibrant domestic aviation industry which is dominated by private players hence the relaunching of the Zambia airways using proposed business models would crowd out the local private sector since Zambia Airways is envisaged to have domestic, regional and intercontinental flights, therefore, Government should instead be seeking to support the private sector players rather than interfering with the market through pursuing investments which could be taken on by the private sector,” he said
