By Tinkerbel Mwila
Aviation experts are calling on the government to review the contract involving Zambia Airways and Ethiopian airline to ensure a win-win situation.
Ethiopian Airlines has 45% stakes in Zambia Airways while the Zambian government has the majority stakeholder with 55% in the successfully re-launched Zambia Airways which hit the skies yesterday for the first time in almost 30 years.
But in an interview, Aviation Expert Webster Moyo says the government did not involve aviation professionals in the formation of the National Airline who would have helped in coming up with a comprehensive and acceptable, bankable plan for the airline.
And Transport Consultant Weston Mapani is of the view that the National Airline operations and controls should have been separated from Ethiopian Airlines operations with an independent executive management.
Meanwhile, Captain George Sinkala explains that despite the national airline promoting Zambia’s tourism, the project was not properly planned.
And Kantashi Member of Parliament Anthony Mumba says as such as it is good for Zambia to have a national airline, there is still no convincing strategy that has been developed to ensure sustainability of operations of the airline especially in the wake of the pandemic.
Recently, Transport And Logistics Minister Frank Tayali indicated that the government will not be reviewing the Zambia Airways principal shareholders agreement signed with Ethiopian Airlines and that the fundamental principles will not change.
PHOENIX NEWS