No More BA for Zambia

[Gunship]

Just heard on the news that BA stopped / will stop to fly to Lusaka due to " an extremely high fuel price" :} :} :}

No more flower / veggie exports ...

Fact or KFM fiction ? :8

[V1 Rotate]

Let's hope that they transport the alledged terror mastermind back to London first!
V1:cool:

[whoswho]

can't have stopped as I just returned from Lusaka with BA last week....last of the direct colonial ties being cut now!

[TimS]

Schedules are still filed into next year via OAG ...

>sklunlon01nov,ba
1 BA 254 /RFA 246 LUNLHR 0845 1800 767 0 M 03SEP29OCT
JCDISYBHQMNKLV
2 BA 254 /RFA 246 LUNLHR 0905 1725 767 0 M 01NOV25MAR
JCDISYBHQMNKLV

[Tailspin2001]

It is only the pure cargo flights that are being axed, due to the price of fuel in Lusaka!!!

[Gunship]

Tx Tailspin :ok:

That might just be it as they discussed how it will have a massive influence on the export market - especially Flowers and veggies.

That does make sense (althought the reporter did not say only BA Cargo).

Tx for that - still can not get anything from the web in any case.

Cheers,

Gunss

[Flying Bean]

No. That does not make sense. BA do not do any pure cargo flights from Lusaka anyway.
The fruit, veg & flowers are handled by MK, Das & others.
Every year at the Travel shows (WTM, Indaba etc) BA always say that the Lusaka route is 'marginal' and it is under consideration for the axe! Hope they have not made a negative decision.
We take about 6000 pax a year from BA into the internal tourist destinations. It will leave a hell of a dent in the tourist trade.
We keep hearing about Virgin (Nationwide?) going to Europe from Livingstone but I dont think Livingstone Airport can handle the aircraft yet.

Gunns..
Still nothing on the BA web. Where did you actually hear the original report?

[Gunship]

Lo FB,

I heard it on the radio and I normally listen to KFM - might have been 5FM. My son confirmed he read it in the Burger as well this week.

He confirmed it was BA and it had to do with cargo and high fuel prices.

Still searching - would like to 100% confirm it for you ! :ok:

Cheers,

Gunzzz

While searching I found this .. :

A KENYA Airways plane yesterday failed to land at the Lusaka International Airport due to lack of jet fuel.

And energy minister George Mpombo yesterday announced that the diesel crisis that has hit the country for over a week was expected to end today. ......

http://allafrica.com/stories/200508020949.html

Sorry been editing and editing this post ... just found it :E

Gunss is going into relax mode as I felt sheit ... ;) Mhhh hthe old memory is still ok even if I say so myself :E:E

BRITISH Airways has cancelled its freight services from Zambia on its Boeing 747 cargo plane.

And the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Airlines Association of Southern Africa (AASA) has warned the Zambian government that the high price of jet fuel is damaging the aviation market in the country.


British Airways country commercial manager for Zambia Nilanthi Manatunga announced the decision last night during a briefing at Lusaka\'s Holiday Inn Hotel.

She attributed the withdrawal of the freight services to the high cost of jet fuel in Zambia, noting that it was no longer profitable for the airline to continue with the service.

The withdrawal of the freight services is with effect from August 9, 2005.

And Zambia Export Growers Association chief executive Luke Mbewe has said the cancellation of flights from Zambia by British Airways will have serious repercussions on the growth of the non-traditional exports sector.

"We depend on air flights for almost 100 per cent of all exports. If British Airways decides to withdraw from servicing the route to Zambia, that will cause us lots of problems because we will have no way of getting into the international market," Mbewe said.

"The existing flight charters will not be adequate, especially with regard to the European market."

Mbewe said the export of cut flowers and fresh vegetables to the European market currently earned Zambia in excess of US$60 million annually from the export of 13,000 tonnes of the commodities, while about 12,000 people were directly employed under the sector.

And according to a letter from IATA and AASA dated July 6, 2005 addressed to among others the finance, energy, transport and tourism ministers as well as the Energy Regulations Board, airlines operating in Zambia face additional costs for their fuel and this will potentially result in carriers reducing or even cancelling their services to Zambia with clear adverse consequences on the economy.

The letter, which was signed by IATA assistant director fuel services Keith Carter and AASA chief executive John Morrison, called on the government to effect an immediate interim reduction of 20 per cent on the price of jet fuel.

"It is understood that members of the Zambian government share the airlines\' concerns over this situation, and wish to see reductions in the national interest," the letter stated.

"We would request that an immediate interim reduction is made to the official price level, which could then be adjusted further. We would suggest that a reduction of 20 per cent would be appropriate and reasonable."

The duo also stated that airlines would like to see a competitive market price, reflecting the logistics and distribution costs and based on the Arab Gulf community value in due course.

Currently, the price of jet fuel at Lusaka International Airport is 40 per cent higher than Johannesburg International Airport and 38 per cent higher that both Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam international airports.

Compared to Windhoek and Harare, the price of jet fuel in Lusaka is 27 per cent and 12 per cent more respectively.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200507280162.html

[Gunship]

And a bit more on the subject ...

CURRENT developments in the aviation sector in Zambia are very serious and have catastrophic consequences for the country's economy if not handled very carefully.

Consequences of the skyrocketing price of jet fuel have already been manifested in the decision by British Airways to suspend freight services in Zambia.


The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has warned that the consequences could get even worse.

Freight is the backbone of trade between nations because the bulk of trade among nations is in freight form.

For an economy like that of Zambia in which even the smallest parcel of exports counts, the British Airways development is a grim one.

IATA is absolutely right. There is need for Government to probe the fuel supply system in Zambia.

Indications point to the possibility of some dealings, which are not totally above board.

Opinion from the "Times of Zambia" .. full report here (http://allafrica.com/stories/200507290138.html)

[Gunship]

From Flying Bean : Gunns.. Still nothing on the BA web. Where did you actually hear the original report?

Last but not least - I also found the article on the Sake - Burger front page under the REUTERS banner : (Thu 4 August 05) - I can scan and send to you if you understand Afrikaans.

BA onttrek uit Zambië

BA het gesê die lugdiens gaan lugvragdienste na Zambië staak weens die hoë pryse van vliegtuigbrandstof in die land.

Dit sal Zambiese uitvoerders, wat veral snyblomme en vars groente per vliegtuig oorsee stuur, erg raak omdat hulle hul goedere nou deur SA na die buiteland sal moet vervoer.

BA was tot dusver die enigste lugvragverbinding tussen Zambië en Europa. :hmm:

Well I do not know why they do not mention DAS Air and the rest ? But this is straight from REUTERS ...

[King Red]

I do see Cargolux and Mk coming into Lusaka. Sure they must also be feeling the pinch of the high fuel prices.

The current diesel shortage has also left all the other airfields in Zambia "fuelless" due to transportation problems. This further affecting the transfer of passangers and also resulting in some aircraft being stranded out in the field not being able to reach a fueling station.

The tourist industry in Zambia is booming with many British and other tourists coming through. Benefiting from the downfall in Zim the locals are cashing in. BA is the lifeline up here for many folk.

SAA did not score points with their last strike this leaving KQ up for the task of bringing in tourists vie Kenya.

In short, someone is charging too much and not delivering the goods. Another African way of doing business.

Answer, everyone looses again, Ag shame.:yuk:

[Gunship]

Where do Zambia get it's fuel from ? Pressume SA ?

I see in this weekend's papers that Zim ran dry (again).

I was there a month or 6 weeks ago and there was no fuel in the South (but Harare had).

Sad news ... I have friends and family in Zambia and they absolutely love it there :ok:

Someone needs to catch a wake up call ... before long it is too late.

[Flying Bean]

Thanks for that Gunns. Very informative.

I was not up to date with those BA Cargo flights.
And yes we have run out of Jet A1 a couple of time recently.
The local diesel shortage has also been a pain.
I have recently fitted a ferry tank from our C206 into the back of my Landrover for my Zimbabwe land travels and found I needed it in Zambia as well!

[Gunship]

Pleasure Flying Bean.

They had another short story on DSTV Ch 53 (African ch) late last night that the diesel (and I pressume Jet A1 as well) crisis has not ended yet.

Good luck there :ok:

Gunss