Proflight Zambia has put its flights to Kasama on hold pending modifications to the larger aircraft it plans to deploy on the route.
The airline had assigned a larger 29-seat Jetstream 41 aircraft to its Kasama routes from January 1 in the expectation that the town’s runway would be tarred, but delays to that process mean the landing strip remains gravelled and unsuitable for that aircraft.
“We apologise for the inconvenience caused to customers who had already booked their flights and were wishing to book flights on the route. All passengers holding tickets for these flights will receive a full refund,” said Proflight’s Director of Government and Industry Affairs Captain Philip Lemba.
“Proflight is a proudly Zambian airline committed to connecting passengers across the country, and Kasama is an important route to us so we are working as hard as possible to resolve the issue,” he added.
The airline expects its flights from Lusaka and Ndola to Kasama to be suspended for January until April 2019.
Proflight has been servicing Kasama for more than six years offering direct daily flights from Ndola and Lusaka using a 12-seat C208 Caravan aircraft.
Initially, Kasama airport was scheduled to be upgraded into a tarred runway in 2017 but work was postponed until June 2018, then November 2018. On that basis, Proflight assigned its larger Jetstream 41 aircraft to the route.
With the runway remaining gravel, Proflight will resume flights to Kasama once the aircraft has been modified to suit the gravel runway, a process expected to take about two months.
Proflight operates a 50-seater Bombardier CRJ-100 jet, 50-seat Bombardier Dash 8-300, three 29-seater Jetstream 41 aircraft and two C208 Caravans.
Bankruptcy in the making. These are the signs…..
China, help !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really hope you are wrong as Proflight is doing a commendable job in as far as domestic aviation is concerned. Sounds like the government is not coming to the party as the tarring of the airstrip can not sure be the responsibility of an airline but that of government through NAC.
out of 10…six are…..come from this region money has disappeared already.
Gravel on an airport tarmac? In 2018? And we have a government?
Maybe the money for tarmac was stolen. You know what we are dealing with!!???????? lol
Thou shalt not save jiggies on your flights
Congrats Tony, Proflight is indeed expanding.
I wonder why it has taken so long to have the Kasama airport upgraded.
This is what we talk about misplaced priorities, but they are rehabilitating trees for K 370,000… Sh!t hole govt
I don’t get it…..Proflight will modify their aircraft to suit the runway????people, people…..for real??? You see just how hard it is to do business in Zambia……shame after all these years people dancing for independence at state house, and this is what we can offer as a nation????it’s becoming sick and saddening ….