Air Zimbabwe To Resume Flights To London After 14 Years, Will Hire Bigger Plane For Route
Air Zimbabwe is set to return to the London route after a 14-year absence, with plans to deploy a larger aircraft as the national carrier targets a June 2026 comeback. The move, confirmed by Mutapa Investment Fund chief executive John Mangudya, signals a renewed push to restore the airline’s long-haul presence and reconnect Zimbabwe directly with the United Kingdom.
The London route has been dormant since December 2011. Now, nearly a decade and a half later, authorities say preparations are at an advanced stage. The return is being framed as part of a wider fleet restructuring programme aimed at stabilising and repositioning the struggling airline.
Fleet Restructuring And London Ambitions
Speaking during a public lecture at the Harare Institute of Technology on Friday, January 30, 2026, Mangudya outlined the plan to reorganise Air Zimbabwe’s fleet to support both domestic and international operations.
“The government has given us authority to sell the Boeing 777s, and the proceeds will be used to pay a deposit for new, smaller aircraft for domestic flights,” Mangudya said.
Zimlive reports that the two Boeing 777 aircraft, acquired from Malaysia Airlines, were never placed into service. Their disposal, Mangudya explained, is intended to unlock funding for more suitable aircraft for local routes, while freeing capacity to focus on long-haul services through leasing arrangements.
On the London route, Mangudya said the airline was pursuing a wide-body aircraft lease.
“We are also putting in place a facility to lease a bigger plane, one of these Boeings, to fly the Harare–London route, and good progress has been made,” he said.
Targeting June 2026 For Take-Off
Mangudya said the timeline for resuming flights to the UK had become clearer following briefings from Air Zimbabwe’s leadership.
“I was advised by the chairman and chief executive of Zimbabwe that by June this year, or before June, we will be flying to London,” he said.
He described the Harare–London route as one of the most profitable on the continent.
“That route is one of the most lucrative in Africa because it is a direct service from here to the UK,” Mangudya added.
Previous commitments to revive the London service, announced by successive transport ministers and airline executives since 2011, failed to materialise. This time, Mangudya said confidence was higher than before, though he stopped short of providing operational details such as flight frequency or ticket pricing.
Exports, Diaspora And The Bigger Picture
Beyond passenger travel, Mangudya said the London route would also support trade, particularly exports.
“In the past, we used to export our horticulture and by morning it would be in the shops in the UK,” he said.
The United Kingdom remains home to a significant Zimbabwean diaspora, a market long seen as vital for sustaining direct flights.
Air Zimbabwe currently operates two Embraer ERJ-145 aircraft on domestic and regional routes. Several Boeing 737s and Boeing 767s remain in storage, with some occasionally leased out. The airline, like other state-owned enterprises, now falls under the Mutapa Investment Fund.
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