The Zambia Airports Corporation Limited says air passenger traffic recovery in Zambia has gained momentum and is expected to recover to pre-COVID-19 levels by mid-2024.
Statistics for domestic passenger movement show a recovery of 100 percent in the first half of 2022 and is expected to surpass the 2019 pre-COVID-19 levels by year-end with the launch of Zambia Airways and the resumption of the Ndola-Mansa flights by Proflight Zambia having a significant impact on domestic passenger numbers.
The sector was one of the worst hit by the effects of the pandemic, recording its worst performance in 20 years but the Corporation has in the first half of 2022 served 679,177 passengers compared to 289,392 over the same period in 2021, 335,245 in 2020, and 863,508 in 2019.
The Corporation Acting Managing Director Margie Kaunda says the passenger statistics in the first half of 2022 represent a combined recovery of 79 percent to pre-COVID-19 levels, compared to recovery levels of 34 percent in 2021 and 39 percent in 2020.
Mrs. Kaunda said the steady recovery in international performance continues to be driven by the relaxation of COVID-19 measures including the removal of the PCR test requirements earlier this year by the Ministry of Health for fully vaccinated travelers entering Zambia.
