Strong push to expand airline connectivity

Air connectivity has become an increasingly important part of Zambia’s broader economic and logistics ambitions, and closing gaps in the country’s regional and international network is now a strategic priority. The country, which increasingly describes itself as land-linked rather than landlocked, is seeking to strengthen its position as a regional trade and logistics hub. The ability to move people and cargo efficiently into key markets is therefore critical. Yet significant gaps remain. According to Khetiwe Lubinga- Nyirenda, director of corporate planning and strategy at Zambia Airports Corporation (ZAC), 16 airlines currently serve the country – 14 international and two domestic – providing connections to destinations including Johannesburg, Kigali, Dar es Salaam, Addis Ababa and Dubai. “We do have connectivity, but when you look at the network there is still a significant reliance on hubs,” she said at the annual Land-Linked Zambia conference earlier this year. “That adds both cost and time to travel.” The Lusaka-Johannesburg route remains one of the country’s busiest and most competitive, with four airlines operating on the route, while services through major hubs such as Addis Ababa and Dubai provide Zambia with onward international connectivity. But the limitations of the existing network become apparent when travelling between certain African markets. “If you want to fly from Lusaka to Kinshasa, for example, you may have to travel via Nairobi first,” said Lubinga- Nyirenda. “Those are very real connectivity gaps.” In some cases, the journey is even more circuitous. Travelling from Lusaka to destinations such as Marrakech can involve flying via Addis Ababa and then Europe before returning to Africa, while some regional journeys similarly require connections through Johannesburg. Addressing these gaps, however, is not simply a matter of identifying destinations without direct flights. “When we prioritise routes for expansion, it is not just about distance. There must be justification for the route,” she said. “What are the volumes? What economic activity exists between the two markets? Is it trade, business or investment?” Previous efforts to approach individual airlines and encourage them to introduce new services have delivered limited results, prompting Zambia to rethink its strategy. This has resulted in the establishment of the air access project, bringing together government and industry in a coordinated effort to improve the country’s connectivity. The initiative operates at a high level under the minister of transport, with several other ministers represented on its steering committee. Lubinga-Nyirenda said the approach was based on developing a comprehensive business case for priority routes rather than simply asking airlines to enter the market. “We realised that just talking to airlines and trying to bring them in was not working. We needed a new approach,” she said. “Through the air access project, we are putting together the business case and taking a much more coordinated approach to attracting additional airlines and routes into Zambia.” LV