The way has at last been opened for open competition in Zimbabwe's skies for freight transport, with a court ruling that has ended Affretair's monopoly. The highest court in the land, the Supreme Court, has ordered that an air service permit must be granted to a private airline, MK Airlines - rejecting a request by Affretair that the permit should be withheld. The national cargo airline had appealed against an earlier ruling by the high court which had ordered the permit to be granted. MK is effectively owned by former Zimbabwean pilot Mike Kruger, who has been operating out of London and Nigeria. The airline has several times in the past been asked to supply charter aircraft to carry horticultural produce on routes not served by Air Zimbabwe or Affretair, but has continually been rebuffed by Affretair. It initiated the court action more than three years ago.
South African carriers are known to be among other airlines that have been wanting to get into the Zimbabwean market over the last few years . Two points of uncertainty remain . It is not clear whether each prospective carrier will have to go through the costly and lengthy route pioneered by MK or can now automatically demand a permit from the Air Services Board. Neither is it known if the permits will only be granted for routes not covered by the two national carriers.
Sources in Harare say that the airport will cost Zim$1billion (R400 million). It is scheduled to be finished in 1998.
