Page 66 - World Airnews Magazine December 2020

WOMEN IN
AVIATION

REVIVE HWANGE NATIONAL PARK

AIRPORT

By Wallace Mawire

airport and Buffalo Range airport.
In terms of terminal capacity, Robert Mugabe international
Concerned stakeholders in the aviation sector in Zimbabwe airport leads with at least 2 500 000 passengers per annum, then
have urged the responsible authorities to revive operations at J.N. Nkomo airport with 1 500 000, Victoria Falls airport with also 1
Hwange national park airport, a move also expected to boost the 500 000 passengers per annum.
country's tourism revenue inflows. Hwange national airport has 1 500 00 passengers per annum.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ), Stakeholders say that this could be increased if operations at the
Hwange airport is the second largest airport apart from Robert airport are revived.
Mugabe International airport in terms of terminal capacity and Margaret Mandiziva, CAAZ acting director said that there are
runway dimensions. plans to boost operations at the airport which used to be vibrant in
However, despite its capacity, stakeholders are concerned that it its heydays.
is not being fully utilised for the country's benefit. She said that the airport boasts of all the required accessories
About a decade or so back, before the country experienced an including necessary fire-fighting equipment and the facilities that
economic backlash, the airport used to be very vibrant witnessing are a pre-requisite of all airports.
an influx of tourists and visitors to the national park. It was She said Air Zimbabwe used to have a scheduled flight to Hwange
strategically located as an efficient mode of transportation for the airport called Flame Lily when the economy was still ticking.
tourism sector.
So, the decline in the number of tourists and visitors to the She said it was regrettable that the airport was stagnant and not
national park affected operations at the airport. being fully utilised.
In terms of terminal capacity and runway dimensions in the Mandiziva said that there were opportunities for stakeholders
country, Robert Mugabe International airport is in the lead with and operators in the tourism and game parks business to benefit
4725 x 16m runway dimensions followed by Hwange airport with from the revival of operations at the airport.
4600 x 30m, then Victoria Falls airport with 4000 x 45m runway Annajulia Hungwe, CAAZ corporate communications manager
dimensions. said that the airport is currently closed due to the national
There are also other small airports dotted around the country lockdown in the country as per statutory instrument (SI)83 of 2020.
like Joshua N. Nkomo airport in the second city of Bulawayo, Kariba She said that charter flights used to service Hwange national
airport, which is another tourism resort town, Charles Prince airport. Q

World Airnews |December Extra 2020
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