■ ANGOLA: Zimbabwe, Angola renew BASA; TAAG to get rights between Lusaka and Harare?

Following negotiations between the two countries, Angola and Zimbabwe have signed a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) which is a revision of that signed in 2005. Under the agreement, TAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola (DT), the Angolan national carrier and the only airline currently operating flights between Luanda and Harare, will have provision for 4 weekly frequencies and vice versa.

TAAG Il62 in Harare in 1997 (propfreak)

According to ANGOP, negotiations took place between Angola's Instituto Nacional da Aviação Civil (the National Institute of Civil Aviation - INAVIC) and the Zimbabwean transport authorities including the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) which resulted in the signing of a renewed Bilateral Air Services Agreement.

In addition to increasing TAAG's frequencies to four from the current weekly Saturday flight, a new Memorandum of Understanding enabling TAAG to exercise "rights on the Luanda / Harare / Lusaka sector" (i.e possible 5th Freedoms on the Harare - Lusaka sector of its flight) was signed.

Should TAAG indeed obtain 5th Freedom rights to its Luanda - Harare - Lusaka - Luanda flights, it would join Emirates(EK), Air Namibia (SW), KLM (KL), Kenya Airways (KQ) and Ethiopian Airlines (ET).

Air Zimbabwe ceased flying to Luanda in January 2001 due to the ongoing civil war at the time. Plans were then put in place for a resumption in 2007 but to no avail.

Thanks to Mlandeli Ndlela.