Harare – Air Zimbabwe’s Airbus A330-300 touched down at London Gatwick Airport on Wednesday, completing its maiden direct flight from Harare and marking the national carrier’s return to the United Kingdom after a 16-year hiatus.

The historic flight, operated under a wet lease agreement with Spanish carrier Plus Ultra Líneas Aéreas, departed Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport with a delegation led by Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Advocate Felix Mhona and Deputy Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Tongai Mnangagwa on board.

On arrival at Gatwick’s South Terminal, the aircraft was received by Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Colonel Christian Katsande, alongside embassy officials.

The resumption of the Harare–London route, once the airline’s flagship international service, is expected to boost tourism, trade and investment while providing greater convenience for the Zimbabwean diaspora, who previously relied on connecting flights through Europe, the Middle East and other regional hubs.

The service will operate three flights weekly, with departures from Harare on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and return services from London Gatwick on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Speaking ahead of the inaugural flight, Minister Mhona described the route’s restoration as a watershed moment for the nation. “The Harare–London route is no longer an aspiration; it is operational. It is here. And it is a watershed moment for our nation,” he said.

The market response has exceeded expectations, with 1,479 confirmed passenger bookings and more than 30 tonnes of cargo secured even before the first flight took off.

The Airbus A330-300, configured with 302 seats — including 30 business class and 272 economy — will ply the route under an Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance (ACMI) arrangement, with Air Zimbabwe managing ticket sales, passenger services and commercial operations.

The route’s revival comes after the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority granted Air Zimbabwe a Foreign Operator Permit on July 1, 2026, following the national carrier’s compliance with international aviation regulatory standards.

The government has positioned the restoration as part of Zimbabwe’s broader economic strategy under the National Development Strategy 2, which identifies transport and logistics as critical enablers of trade, investment and global integration.

For Zimbabwean exporters, the direct link is expected to improve access to one of Europe’s largest consumer markets. “Fresh horticultural produce, pharmaceuticals and other high-value exports will reach international markets more efficiently, strengthening our export competitiveness and contributing to increased foreign currency earnings,” Mhona said.

The London service is part of a broader rebuilding of Air Zimbabwe’s international network, with the airline also signaling plans to expand further across southern and eastern Africa. The carrier is now under the Mutapa Investment Fund, a sovereign wealth fund that has applied innovative financial models to restore the airline to commercial viability after years of losses and operational setbacks.

Promotional fares for the route start from £490 or US$495 one-way, while a return ticket costs £675 or US$900.