Swazi Airways

Swazi Airways
IATA ICAO Callsign
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Founded 2013
Hubs King Mswati III International Airport
Fleet size 1
Destinations 0 (5 planned)
Company slogan The majestic wings of Swaziland[1]
Parent company Royal Swazi National Airways Corporation (RSNAC)
Key people Guillermo Barrios, acting CEO
Nokuthula Mthembu, chairman of RSNAC
Website flyswazi.com

Swazi Airways is an upcoming Swazi airline based at King Mswati III International Airport in Manzini. It is the successor to Royal Swazi National Airways and is fully owned by the Swaziland Government. It will begin operations in the first week of February 2016, flying to five destinations with Boeing 737 aircraft.

History

In 2013, the Royal Swazi National Airways Corporation was revived in order to create a new national airline.[2] The former flag carrier of Swaziland, Royal Swazi National Airways, had collapsed in 1999. The Ministry of Public Works and Transport appointed Nokuthula Mthembu as chairman of the corporation.[3]

The airline was revived to transform King Mswati III International Airport into a regional airline hub, which had opened in March 2014 but suffered from under-utilisation.[4][5]

In early 2014, the Swaziland Government signed bilateral agreements with ten countries, nine in Africa and one in the Middle East, in order to secure air traffic rights between the nations.[6][7]

Swazi Airways took delivery of its first aircraft, a Boeing 737-300 from Star Air Cargo, on 24 February 2016. It will be inspected by the Swaziland Civil Aviation Authority (SWACAA) prior to entering service.[8] Swazi Airways will then begin flights to five destinations in Southern Africa and the Middle East. It is awaiting authorisation to begin flights to Johannesburg, and is considering Mumbai and the Seychelles in the long-term.[1]

Corporate affairs

Swazi Airways is a subsidiary of the Royal Swazi National Airways Corporation, which is fully owned by the Swaziland Government. The acting CEO of the airline is Guillermo Barrios, a Venezuelan-Canadian.[1]

Destinations

Swazi Airways will start flights to the following destinations.[9]

City Country Airport Notes
Cape Town South Africa Cape Town International Airport
Dubai United Arab Emirates Dubai International Airport
Durban South Africa King Shaka International Airport
Harare Zimbabwe Harare International Airport
Manzini Swaziland King Mswati III International Airport [Hub]

Fleet

Swazi Airways' fleet consists of the following aircraft.[8]

Swazi Airways fleet
Aircraft In service Orders Passengers Notes
Boeing 737-300 1 110

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Simelane, Musa (14 January 2016). "NEW SWAZI AIRWAYS MAIDEN FLIGHT IN FEBRUARY". Times of Swaziland. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  2. Makhubu, Manqoba (14 January 2016). "SWAZI AIR READY TO FLY TO DUBAI, CAPE TOWN, INDIA, DURBAN". Swazi Observer. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  3. Simelane, Musa (4 June 2013). "Airways Board ordered to buy SD airline". Times of Swaziland. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  4. "Swazi Airways to launch next month". Ch-aviation. 20 January 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  5. Gwebu, Titus (13 January 2014). "Swaziland seeks to justify cost of airport by restarting airline". Independent Online (IO). Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  6. "Royal Swazi National Airways about to get non-stop air access to key countries". Eturbonews. 5 January 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  7. Magagula, Mduduzi (5 January 2014). "10 DESTINATIONS FROM SIKHUPHE". Times of Swaziland. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  8. 1 2 "Swazi Airways takes delivery of its first aircraft". Ch-aviation. 28 February 2016. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  9. Hall, James (18 January 2016). "Swaziland launches new airline". Travel and Meetings Buyer. Retrieved 24 January 2016.

External links

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