"Proflight Zambia Elevates Local Aviation with Arrival of Two New Bombardier Jets"

It has been an eventful week for Proflight Zambia and the local aviation sector, as the airline celebrated the successful acquisition of two additional Bombardier CRJ jets, expanding its fleet to a total of five aircraft.

The airline's latest additions include a parcel freighter, which arrived on Sunday, followed by the arrival of its fourth passenger jet on Saturday, September 9. Captain Josias Walubita, Director of Flight Operations at Proflight Zambia, expressed his excitement, emphasizing the significance of this development for both Proflight's growth and the broader aviation industry in the nation.

Proflight's consistent expansion efforts underscore its unwavering commitment to bolstering the local aviation sector. The introduction of these new aircraft heralds an exciting chapter in the airline's journey, promising increased passenger capacity and improved cargo transportation services, both locally and regionally. This expansion aligns seamlessly with the government's vision, as articulated by President Hakainde Hichilema during his recent address to the 13th Parliament, highlighting the priority of upgrading provincial airport services and facilities.

The first of the two aircraft, the CRJ100 Parcel Freighter, embarked on its journey from Calgary on September 1, 2023, at 16:00 local time, under the command of Captain Frederik Host-Madsen of MOVE, with assistance from Captain Johan Oredsson. The aircraft's route took it from Calgary to Goose Bay on the East Coast of Canada, then across the North Atlantic to Keflavik, Iceland. Continuing its journey, it touched down in Ljubljana, Slovenia, before proceeding to Jedda, Saudi Arabia, and Nairobi, Kenya, finally arriving at Lusaka's Kenneth Kaunda International Airport on Sunday.

The second aircraft, a CRJ200 passenger jet equipped with a spacious baggage bay, commenced its journey from Calgary on Wednesday, September 6th, following the same routing as the previous aircraft. It reached KKIA in Lusaka on Friday, September 8. This addition increases Proflight's total seating capacity to 460, a significant leap from the 205 seats in 2022 and 137 seats in the pre-COVID-19 period of 2019.

As Zambia continues to enhance its aviation sector capacity, the augmented passenger capacity and cargo facilities introduced by airlines like Proflight exemplify the commitment of private sector players to fostering a thriving airline industry in the country. The ripple effects of such sustained growth are poised to create long-term positive impacts, including job creation, boosting tourism, and enhancing international trade connections, among other benefits.