The Zambia Airways story (PART 2) 
From the leftovers of the central African Airways Corporation came a new airline Zambia Airways. Its fleet consisted of 2 x BAC-1-11, 2 HS748s and 2 very old DC-3s.
As usual with the division of assets during the Federation Zambia got the short end of the stick. Just like the Air Force which ended up in Rhodesia despite being bought using Zambian money, the airline's main assets ended up in Rhodesia.
Zambia got the left overs, and these formed the basis of the birth of Zambia Airways.
After the dissolution of Central African Airways, Zambia Airways was formed with the help of the Italian government. The Italians were to also help build the Zambian Air Force.
On January 1, 1968, Zambia Airways began operations. Its first board Chairman was dynamic Ndola based businessman Tom Mtine. The first Managing Director was Francesco Casale, on loan under a management contract signed with Alitalia, the Italian flag carrier.
The airline almost immediately began international services. Employing a Douglas DC-8- 43 leased from Alitalia, Lusaka to London flights via Nairobi and Rome began. The BAC 1-11 flew regional routes to Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, and Mauritius.
Zambia Airways grew quickly and the Italians rapidly constructed valuable infrastructure including housing in the Longacres area, a maintenance base, a headquarters in Longacres and cargo handling facility at Lusaka International Airport.
The reason for the concentration in the Longacres area was the airline flew from City Airport until late 1968 when the new airport, Lusaka International Airport, become fully operational. The airline by the end of the year had over 800 employees.
In 1969 the DC-3s were disposed of and fully replaced by HS748s. With inadequate pilots available, the Zambia Air Force had pilots and engineers seconded to the Zambia Airways to fly the HS748s.
The ZAF pilots were later to rise high in the ranks of Zambia Airways as well as on the technical side. Infact one of them even became Managing Director.
In 1971 Zambia Airways added routes to Gaborone and ordered its first Boeing 707.
In 1975 the Boeing 707 flies to London direct and the BAC-1-11s are sold. Alitalia bowed out and a new management team from Ireland came in.
The Alitalia management contract was replaced by one signed with Aer Lingus Irish Airlines, the Irish national carrier. Zambia Airways quickly added two more Boeing 707s to the fleet and now had three 707s including the freighter.
In 1977 Zambia Airways suffered its first serious accident. A Boeing 707 freighter declared an emergency and made an emergency landing a Lusaka International Airport. The pilot damaged the runway in his efforts to save the plane.
Zambia Airways also had a pilot strike that paralyzed the airline. Senior managers had to come out of their offices and got back in the cockpit and some ZAF officers are drafted in to fly as well.
In 1982 ZIMCO took over operations and Zambia Airways was converted from a Statutory Corporation to an ordinary company. Patrick Chisanga, director general of ZIMCO, on the direct orders of the then President Kenneth Kaunda became Chairman
Zambia Airways acquired its first Boeing 737 that year and it quickly became a firm favourite on regional flights. A HS748 was involved in an accident when it failed to take off and overrun the runway at Kasaba Bay. The plane was severely damaged but was eventually repaired.
One of the Being 707s was retired and relegated for use as a source of spares and for ground training and was parked behind the maintenance base.
Zambia Airways now had 1,700 staff and owned hotels in Lusaka and in Mauritius. Under Oliver Chama, the airline ambitiously decided to acquire a wide-bodied aircraft.
In a powerful show of economic muscle Zambian banks like ZANACO, Barclays, Stanchart and Zambia State Insurance provided the finance for the aircraft with crucial financing also coming from Chemical Bank and the Export Import Bank of the USA.
Oliver Chama was unable to savour his triumph as the man with the vision to acquire the wide-bodied aircraft as he was replaced by Lawrence Bwalya
The giant DC-10-30 was the second largest passenger plane in existence at the time and it allowed Zambia Airways to fly to Paris as well as London. Zambia Airways was now flying to Bombay as well as to Mauritius.
Zambia Airways now had1 DC-10-30, 3 Boeing 707s, 1 Boeing 737, and 2 HS 748s. Zambia Airways had revenues of $40 million and was breaking even with a small operating loss of $150,000 although financing costs blow the loss to nearly $5 million
Drastic action was taken with Captain Godfrey Mulundika, a former ZAF Pilot, put in charge and a comprehensive review by Lufthansa undertaken.
Meanwhile a popular flight to Swaziland was inaugurated. Zambians flew to Swaziland came back with goods for sale.
Zambia Airways began to modernize its fleet and acquired two ATR 42-300s and disposed of the HS748s, it also put up for sale its ageing Boeing 707s. Zambia Airways began flights to New York via Monrovia.
In an embarrassing fiasco, the inaugural flight arrived in New York with all the VIPs and visitors including Transport Minister General Kingsley Chinkuli arrived without visas. Deft diplomatic moves by the Zambian mission in New York salvaged a truly appalling situation.
Final PART 3 coming up shortly......................
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
