Air Zimbabwe plans to resume flights between Harare and London Gatwick by June 2026 after a 14-year absence by leasing a Boeing widebody aircraft.
CEO of the Mutapa Investment Fund, which owns the carrier, John Panonetsa Mangudya, confirmed progress on the arrangement to serve the lucrative route supporting the Zimbabwean diaspora and direct horticulture exports. The airline also intends to sell two unused Boeing 777s acquired from Malaysia Airlines to fund deposits for smaller domestic aircraft.
The national carrier remains banned from United Kingdom and European Union airspace for failing to meet international safety standards since its last Gatwick service in 2012. A broader five-year turnaround strategy includes acquiring six new aircraft over three years for USD775.5m, comprising domestic, regional, and long-haul types to replace ageing models and reduce maintenance costs. The airline currently wet-leases an ATR42-500 for limited operations.
John Panonetsa Mangudya shared “We are putting in place a facility to lease a bigger aircrafte, one of these Boeings, to fly the Harare International-London route, and good progress has been made.”
