Proflight Takes Delivery of Two More CRJ Jets
In an exciting development for Proflight Zambia and the local aviation sector, the airline successfully delivered two additional Bombardier CRJ jets earlier in September, bringing its total to five.
The latest addition to the airline’s expanding fleet is a parcel freighter, which touched down on Sunday, September 3 and was 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 delight, “This development marks a milestone in Proflight’s growth and the development of the nation’s aviation industry.”
Proflight’s continuous expansion efforts underscore its dedication to contributing to the growth of the local aviation sector. The addition of the aircraft marks an exciting chapter in the airline’s growth and promises increased passenger capacity and enhanced cargo transportation services locally and regionally. It also comes at an opportune time and aligns with the direction of the Zambian government to prioritise the upgrade of provincial airport services and facilities, as indicated by President Hakainde Hichilema in his opening remarks at the third session of the 13th Parliament.
The first aircraft, the CRJ100 Parcel Freighter, commenced its journey from Calgary – under the command of Captain Frederik Host-Madsen of MOVE, with assistance from Captain Johan Oredsson, on September 1, 2023, at 16:00 local time. It was ferried from Calgary to Goose Bay on the East Coast of Canada, then across the North Atlantic to Keflavik, Iceland. The aircraft continued its journey to Ljubljana, Slovenia, before departing for Jedda, Saudi Arabia, and Nairobi, Kenya, before finally landing in Lusaka, Zambia, at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport.
The second aircraft, a CRJ200 passenger jet equipped with a spacious baggage bay, departed from Calgary on Wednesday, September 6, following the same routing as the previous aircraft and arrived at KKIA in Lusaka on Friday, September 8. This brings Proflight’s total seating capacity to 460 – a significant increase from the 137 in the 2019 pre-COVID-19 period.
As Zambia seeks to enhance its capacity in the aviation sector, the increased passenger capacity and cargo facilities being introduced by airlines such as Proflight are a sign of private sector players’ commitment to creating a thriving airline industry in Zambia. The benefits from such sustained growth can have a long-term positive impact on job creation, tourism, and international trade connections.
