By Rex Mphisa
FALCON Air, the air wing of the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA) (formerly District Development Fund) is launching the Harare-Beitbridge air passenger service with an initial fee of just above $120 one way.
The air journey, almost half the trip to Johannesburg, will take slightly over an hour. A car takes more than five hours.
RIDA teams from Harare met with Beitbridge stakeholders to discuss possible days of service with the inaugural flight expected in two weeks.
Flights could be as regular as twice a week and increased on demand.
Director of Flight Operations Gift Chigorimbo said Falcon Air will offer 12 passenger twin engined aircrafts for the route between Harare and Zimbabwe’s busiest port at Beitbridge.
“These will be semi-scheduled flights where a passenger books heir seat. Our planes have capacity for up to a ton of cargo,” he said.
“The flying time will be one hour 20 minutes on a Cessna 406 which is reasonably fast,” he said.
He said if viable the route will, like their Kariba-Harare, enjoy frequent service which with time can be spread to the sugar rich lowveld and Masvingo.
Earlier Falcon Air accountable manager Monica Chogumaira said se brought her team to assess the Beitbridge aerodrome they found safe for use.
“We are on a consultative visit during which we will assess suitable fares from discussions with stakeholders,” she said.
Falcom Air was diversifying to commercial flights as opposed to charters they did in the region.
Flights to Beitbridge were a likely attraction to those in shipping business most of whose head offices are in Harare.
Another official from Falcon said their charter flights to the commercial citrus farms in Beitbridge were regular and they hoped the new venture would get response.
Dozens of people each day arrive in Beitbridge to collect vehicles imported from South Africa whike others come for shipping business.
Others come for shopping and othsr medical supplies from nearby South Africa.
Chogumaira said the possibility of extending the route to Bulawayo depended largely on popularity.