Proflight will launch direct flights between Mfuwe and Lower Zambezi (Royal and Jeki airstrips) between June 15 and October 31, 2017.

Keira Irwin, Commercial Director at Proflight, said the new flights came after input from the trade. “We have consulted the Zambian tourism operators in both Mfuwe and Lower Zambezi on this change and we believe the revised schedule will be well received by all.”

Tour operators have welcomed the addition of the direct route. “This means it will be easier for clients to combine their trips to South Luangwa and the Zambezi Valley and they don’t have to fly via Lusaka,” said Mariska Yntema, Product Developer at Jenman African Safaris. “It will allow clients to engage in the diverse experiences offered by Luangwa and the Lower Zambezi Valley with decreased travelling time,” said Yntema.

Craig Drysdale, GM Global Sales at Thompsons Africa, said the increase in shorter flights within the region would provide more options for accessibility to game reserves for tour operators.

Yntema also said that shorter visits to Zambia would now be possible while still incorporating varied experiences with river safaris, walking safaris and game viewing.

The fare and taxes on the direct Mfuwe-Lower Zambezi service remain the same as currently on the Mfuwe-Lower Zambezi via Lusaka route.  “This will allow for easy changes between flights should your client’s flight date change and the direct flight be sold out or the later timings via Lusaka are preferred,” said Irwin. 

Proflight will also be bringing back the morning Lusaka-Lower Zambezi flight and the evening Lower Zambezi-Lusaka flight, providing direct connections to Emirates for 2017. The evening Lower Zambezi-Lusaka flight connects with Emirates, with whom Proflight shares an interline agreement.

There will no longer be Lower Zambezi-Lusaka scheduled flights from April 1-12 due to lack of business in the past the two years and the decision by some lodges to only open in time for Easter weekend.  Flights will continue to be operated by the Cessna Caravan 208 aircraft with two pilots.

“We appreciate that the change to the schedule will inconvenience some existing bookings, however the existing numbers are small thus far and we believe the positives of the new route far outweigh the loss of some connections through Lusaka for Lower Zambezi,” added Irwin.