Air Zimbabwe will resume direct scheduled flights between Harare and London by the end of July 2026, nearly 15 years after suspending the route. The announceme...
Air Zimbabwe will resume direct scheduled flights between Harare and London by the end of July 2026, nearly 15 years after suspending the route. The announcement was made on Tuesday by Information Minister Zhemu Soda following a Cabinet meeting, marking a significant step in the national airline’s efforts to restore one of its most important international services.
Briefing journalists after the Cabinet meeting, Soda said the airline would operate the route using a leased Airbus A330-300 aircraft provided by Spanish airline Plus Ultra. The aircraft has a total capacity of 302 passengers, including 30 business class seats and 272 economy class seats. He said the service is expected to begin before the end of the month.
“The nation is advised that the airline will resume operations by end of July 2026,” Soda said.
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According to the government, Air Zimbabwe will initially operate three flights each week between Harare and London. The scheduled services will depart on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, restoring a direct air link between Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom that has been unavailable since 2011.
Air Zimbabwe last operated scheduled flights on the Harare-London route in December 2011 using Boeing 767-200 aircraft. The airline later suspended the service after mounting debts, creditor claims and operational challenges made it difficult to continue operating the route. Before its suspension, the airline had expanded the service to six weekly flights and also operated charter flights connecting the United Kingdom with Victoria Falls.
Although Air Zimbabwe remains on the European Union’s Air Safety List, where it has been listed since May 2017 because of unresolved safety concerns, the airline will be able to resume the London route through a wet-lease agreement. Air Zimbabwe is also prohibited from operating commercial services to, from and within the United Kingdom under its own aircraft.
The London flights will operate under an Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance (ACMI) wet-lease arrangement. Under this system, regulators allow an airline that is subject to restrictions to use aircraft supplied by an approved operator. Plus Ultra will provide the aircraft, flight crew, maintenance services and insurance, while the flights will operate under Air Zimbabwe’s flight code. The leasing arrangement was facilitated by Chapman Freeborn Aviation Services.
The relaunch is part of a wider restructuring programme being led by the Mutapa Investment Fund, which is the shareholder of Air Zimbabwe. The fund has repeatedly identified the Harare-London route as a key part of the airline’s recovery strategy, viewing the service as important for rebuilding passenger traffic and strengthening the airline’s international network.
Industry figures show there is strong demand for travel between Harare and London despite the absence of direct flights. Data for 2025 indicates that the route generated about 108,000 two-way passengers, with most travellers connecting through Addis Ababa, Dubai, Doha, Johannesburg or Nairobi before reaching their final destination.
The direct service is also expected to benefit Zimbabwe’s horticultural export sector. Before the route was suspended, exporters relied on direct flights to deliver fresh produce to British markets within 24 hours of harvest. The restoration of direct air services is expected to improve transport options for time-sensitive agricultural exports.
The latest announcement follows earlier delays in restoring the Harare-London route. Air Zimbabwe had previously targeted June 2026 for the relaunch, while widely reported plans had also pointed to a July 1 start date. With Cabinet now confirming operations are expected before the end of July, attention will turn to the airline’s ability to successfully relaunch the long-awaited service and maintain regular operations between Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom.
