Qatar Airways has become the latest international airline to land in Lusaka and Harare. The airline has ‘enhanced’ its presence in Southern Africa with the introduction of flights to Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Launched
On 6th August 2021, Qatar Airways launched its new services to Lusaka’s Kenneth Kaunda International Airport and Zimbabwe’s Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport from its hub at Doha’s Hamad International Airport.
What’s interesting is that the airline will connect both the destinations to Doha with a single flight, meaning that the flight will operate from Doha to Harare with a stop in Lusaka. After that, the aircraft will head back to Lusaka, before continuing onto to Doha.
The flight schedule is:
- Doha-Lusaka
- Departure time: 02:20
- Arrival time: 08:50
- Flight time: 7 hours and 30 minutes
- Flight number: QR1455
- Frequency: Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays
- Lusaka-Harare
- Departure time: 10:20
- Arrival time: 11:20
- Flight time: 1 hour
- Flight number: QR1455
- Frequency: Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays
- Harare-Lusaka
- Departure time: 18:55
- Arrival time: 19:55
- Flight time: 1 hour
- Flight number: QR1456
- Frequency: Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays
- Lusaka-Doha
- Departure time: 21:25
- Arrival time: 05:55 (the next day)
- Flight time: 7 hours and 30 minutes
- Flight number: QR1456
- Frequency: Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays
To mark the inaugural flight, Qatar Airways deployed its stylish Airbus A350-900 aircraft featuring 36 Qsuite Business Class seats and 247 seats in Economy Class. Going forward, the route will be operated by the airline’s Boeing B787-8 Dreamliner featuring 22 Business Class seats and 232 standard Economy Class seats.
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Expanding in Africa
The new route to Zambia and Zimbabwe reflect Qatar Airways’ growing interest in Africa. Qatar Airways recently resumed flights to Alexandria, Cairo, and Khartoum. The airline has also launched brand-new routes into Africa, including Accra, Abidjan, Abuja, Luanda.
Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Group Chief Executive, Qatar Airways, said:
We have ambitious plans for Africa which is one of the fastest-growing economic regions of the world, with rising consumer demand and an abundance of natural resources. We see enormous potential in not just outbound travel from Zimbabwe and Zambia, but also inbound traffic from India, UK, and Americas. We look forward to strengthen trade and tourism links between Zimbabwe and Zambia, and destinations on the Qatar Airways network, and steadily grow these routes to support the recovery of tourism and trade in the region.
Qatar Airways says these flights will provide more than 30 tonnes of cargo capacity per week in each direction. The airline expects to fly pharmaceuticals, automotive, and technology equipment into Zambia and Zimbabwe. In the opposite direction, Qatar Airways says its flights will offer speedy export of vegetables and flowers to destinations across Europe and Asia.
Meanwhile, the carrier has also ramped up services to the United States with over 100 weekly flights to 12 destinations. Also, the airline recently celebrated 10 years of flying to Canada and has expanded the use of IATA Travel Pass too. Qatar Airways recently unveiled new Boeing B787-9 Business Class product and has also strengthened its partnership with Alaska Airlines. Just a few days ago, Qatar Airways shared details of its strategic partnership with RwandAir.
Featured image by Qatar Airways
What do you think of Qatar Airways’ new route to Lusaka and Harare and the airline’s overall expansion in the African continent? Let me know in the comments section below.
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