Published: 18 September 2013

BRITISH Airways Comair is committed itself to servicing the Victoria Falls/Johannesburg and will introduce larger aircraft once expansion of the resort town's airport runway is completed, an official has said.

Addressing tour and adventure operators, Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) officials during a cocktail in Victoria Falls yesterday, Comair operations director Captain Martin Louw said the airline has bought a Boeing 737 800 to service the route but the plane can not land at Victoria Falls airport at the moment because of the short run way.

"As plans to grow the airline, we have acquired a bigger aircraft, a Boeing 737 800 and it is the first in British Airways colours. But unfortunately we have been forced to fly to Livingstone because the runway at Victoria Falls International Airport is small. So we cannot wait for the expansion project to be completed so that we fly direct to Victoria Falls.

"We see Victoria Falls as a growth point for tourism and we would like to be part of the growth and would like to share that growth," said Captain Louw.

He said the Victoria Falls/ Johannesburg route was the company's second biggest destination outside South Africa.

He said the airline which also operates Kulula.com in South Africa was committed to flying into Victoria Falls and being part of the projected tourism growth.

"Victoria Falls is one of the major destinations we fly to outside South Africa. It is therefore necessary that we know our clients and hence this cocktail. We want to know the industry better because we are here to stay and we are expanding our operations to Victoria Falls and we want to contribute to the success of the resort town," he said.

Captain Louw said they had increased flights to Victoria Falls to two per day adding that plans were underway to increase the numbers subject to increase in tourists.

He said Comair made a profit of R330 million in the previous financial year.

Shearwater Adventures are the airline's official agent in Victoria Falls.

According to Shearwater Adventures public relations manager Mr Clement Mukwasi, passenger numbers went up to between 10 and 12 percent this year signalling an upsurge in the numbers of tourists using the airline.

"As the official agent of British Airways Comair in Victoria Falls, we have witnessed a surge of between 10 and 12percent in the number of passengers who are preferring to use the airliner into this resort town," he said.

In 1996, Comair joined British Airways as a franchise partner and became known as British Airways Comair, taking on the colours and livery of British Airways International.

The British Airways brand brought with it a rich heritage of stylish travel, reputation for service excellence and a wide range of products such as the prestigious Executive Club frequent flyer programme.

This adventurous brand has since inception revolutionised air travel in Southern Africa by making flying easier and more affordable to customers.
- chronicle