Good news for Zimbabwean, Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM) will restart flights
between Harare and Amsterdam in October 2012, after 13 years, the airline said
on Tuesday.
The Royal Ducth Airlines (KLM) first flights to Zimbabwe will be on October 29, 2012 and served in combination
with a new KLM destination to neighbouring Zambia's capital, Lusaka.
KLM, which is part of the larger Air France-KLM group, said in a
statement that Zimbabwe is "a strong growth market with a wide array of
natural resources."
Its announcement came a day after the European Union said it was
ready to lift sanctions if the country holds credible vote on a constitutional
referendum.
Most international airlines, including Air France, Lufthansa and
Qantas pulled out of Zimbabwe over the past decade citing dwindling passenger
numbers as tourists were scared off by political violence.
The airline said it will offer 11 weekly services to Harare via
Nairobi, in co-operation with Kenya Airways, in which KLM has a 26 percent
stake.
Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways and South African Airways are
some of the regional airlines that maintained flights into Zimbabwe despite the
political turmoil.
