Flights, passenger numbers increase in Q2

THE air transport sector in Zimbabwe recorded an increase in both flights and passenger numbers during the second quarter of this year according to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStats) report.

ZimStats acting director for production statistics, Mr Nelson Mupfugami, said during the period under review all airports recorded an increase in flights and passengers.

“All airports reported more flights (military flights excluded) in the second quarter of 2023 than were in the first quarter,” he said.

“Victoria Falls International Airport recorded 3 815 flights in second quarter of 2023 representing a 33,2 percent increase from 2 864 flights during the first quarter.”

The Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport recorded 1 547 flights from 1 314 during the first quarter representing 17,7 percent while the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport recoded 6 562 from 5 336 during the first half presenting a 23 percent increase.

Robert Mugabe International Airport

Other airports have recorded 3 369 flights from 1 438 during the first quarter, which is 134,3 percent increase, said the agency.

All in all, official statistics reveal that Zimbabwe had 15 293 flights during the second quarter compared to 10 952 during the first quarter which is a 39,6 percent increase.

On air passengers, the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport increased its numbers from 36 812 passengers during the first quarter to 40 471 passengers in the second quarter representing a 9,9 percent increase while the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport increased from 278 212 in the first quarter to 293 922 in the second quarter which is 5,6 percent increase.

Similarly, the Victoria Falls International Airport numbers increassed from 66 254 to 93 145 which is a 40,6 percent increase while other airports increased from 3 367 to 8 484 representing a 152 percent increase.

Zimbabwe’s open skies policy has seen an increase on flights coming in the country with the new South Africa’s FlySafair having its maiden flight into Harare yesterday.

The airline is also expected to launch its Victoria Falls-Johannesburg route soon.

Meanwhile, the volume of goods transported through rail during the second quarter of 2023 stood at 604 894 tonnes, reflecting a 6 percent increase from 570 609 tonnes recorded during the first quarter of 2023.

The statistics agency also said as at 30 June 2023, there were 1 583 700 registered motor vehicles reflecting a percentage increase of 6,7 when compared to 1 484 517 vehicles registered as at 31 March 2023.

“As at 30th June 2023 light motor vehicles (up to 2300kg) accounted for 76,5 percent of the 1 583 700 registered vehicles in the country.

“23 849 vehicles were registered for the first time during second quarter 2023 reflecting a 9,3 percent increase from 21 817 registered during first quarter 2023,” said Mr Mupfugami.

“The number of light motor vehicles registered for the first time increased by 8,9 percent from 16 313 in the first quarter 2023 to 17 772 during the second quarter 2023.”

The agency also said at national level, 65 453 candidates undertook a certificate of competency test during second quarter and less than half succeeded.

“In all provinces except Harare (53,7 percent) and Mashonaland East (51,8 percent), proportions of candidates who passed certificate of competency tests during second quarter were less than 50 percent,” said Mr Mupfugami. — chronicle