Online Reporter
Sikhulekelani Moyo and Mbulelo Mpofu, Zimpapers Business Hub
THE(ACZ) plans to upgrade key infrastructure at Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport, including extending the facility’s runway from 2,5 kilometres (km) to 4,5km to accommodate larger aircraft.
The company revealed this during a media tour of JM Nkomo International Airport yesterday, where a brief overview of the planned infrastructure development initiatives was provided.
ACZ public relations and communications manager Mr Tonderai Mangombe said Bulawayo had immense potential to attract significant air passengers.
This comes as JM Nkomo International Airport has been experiencing an average passenger growth of 20 percent annually post the Covid-19 period, which started in 2019.
This has necessitated the need to upgrade infrastructure at the airport, including cargo facilities, the air traffic control tower, runway and other critical facilities.
Mr Mangombe said a small runway was a limiting factor, as it forced airlines to deploy small aero planes.
“Our runway is 2,5 kilometres only, so it cannot accommodate the large long-haul aircraft. Mostly, they use the 777s.
Our runway can’t accommodate the Boeing 777 or the A350s, which they normally use on their long-haul flights,” said Mr Mangombe.
“That’s why Ethiopian is using smaller equipment in Bulawayo. But plans are there and we’ve been requesting assistance from the Government to extend the runway by a kilometre on each side to make it 4,5 kilometres so that it becomes the second largest runway in the country.
“Our Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport runway is 4,725km, Victoria Falls is four kilometres, but here we are planning to have a 4,5 kilometre runway.”
He said the company was still preparing the funding modalities, pointing out that the upgrades had initially been planned to start late this year but would now get underway next year.
Extending the runway to 4,5km would also require ACZ to refurbish the air traffic control tower, Mr Mangombe said.
ACZ recently refurbished the airport’s fire station and also established a helicopter service centre for its helicopters, including those from the company’s air ambulance company, Helidrive.
The company has revealed that it has a maintenance contract for JM Nkomo Airport, which will do refurbishment of the terminal, with the works set to commence soon after the tender process is finalised.
Plans are also in place to establish a cargo village, where a cargo handling facility will be established.
This will see the establishment of a cold facility to handle products like meat and horticulture products meant for the export market.
“When this airport was closed, when it was being refurbished, we were using the temporary hangar, which we used to call Mama Mafuyana. So, we want to convert that into a cargo village where we have the Aviation Ground Services (AGS) and National Handling Services (NHS), our cargo handlers, operating from there together with the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra),” added Mr Mangombe.
“Bulawayo has quite a significant figure for cargo, especially beef, and trophies out of Bulawayo into various countries, especially the European market. So, we intend to ensure we have a proper cargo village.”
All is done in an effort to uplift the face of the JM Nkomo International airport, where Mr Mangombe said it was upgraded more than 10 years ago, hence the need to work on it to give the airport a competitive edge and to conform to international standards.
Mr Mangombe said ACZ also wanted to establish a 5 megawatt (MW) solar plant, which will improve power supply at the airport.
Mr Mangombe said just before Covid-19, JM Nkomo International Airport handled approximately 132 000 passengers annually, which dropped to as low as 29 000 during Covid-19.
“Soon after Covid, we had to go up to 147 000 passengers. And it has been growing year on year. From 147 000 to 167 000 in 2023, 188 000 in 2024,” said Mr Mangombe
“Apparently, from January to August, we are at 134 000. Which means we are most likely to surpass the 2024 figure.”
JM Nkomo International Airport has four airways operating different routes, including domestic, regional and international direct from Bulawayo.
