The airline now operates to 27 African cities including six new destinations which were introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic

Qatar Airways has boosted its commitment to southern Africa by launching a linked service between Doha and Lusaka (LUN) in Zambia and Harare (HRE) in Zimbabwe.

To celebrate this milestone, the route was inaugurated by an Airbus A350-900, which was greeted by a traditional water cannon salute upon its arrival in both cities.

Departing thrice weekly, the widebody will fly to LUN before continuing onto HRE. After spending the afternoon in Zimbabwe, it will then head back to the Zambian capital prior to returning to the carrier’s base in the Middle East.

The operator says these flights will generate more than 30 tonnes of cargo capacity each week in both directions.

It plans to fly pharmaceuticals, automotive, and technology equipment into the countries, while exporting vegetables and flowers onto destinations across Europe and Asia.

As the nation’s largest commercial hub, Lusaka’s Kenneth Kaunda International Airport has become the gateway to Zambia’s renowned tourist attractions, including its game reserves and Victoria Falls.

“We have ambitious plans for Africa which is one of the fastest-growing economic regions of the world, with rising consumer demand and an abundance of natural resources,” said Qatar Airways group chief executive, Akbar Al Baker. “We see enormous potential in not just outbound travel from Zimbabwe and Zambia, but also inbound traffic from India, UK, and Americas.”

He added: “We look forward to strengthen trade and tourism links between Zimbabwe and Zambia, and destinations on the Qatar Airways network, and steadily grow these routes to support the recovery of tourism and trade in the region.”