Victoria Falls re-activates helicopter flights

^{Leonard Ncube}

^{HELICOPTER flights popularly known as ‘Flight of Angels’ above the Victoria Falls have activated their systems in anticipation of return of tourists following the re-opening of the sector.}

^{Helicopter flights were automatically suspended when countries-imposed travel bans as there were no travellers to take up the popular activity. The Flight of Angels is the only opportunity for tourists to view the upper and lower Zambezi River including the gorges, magnificent Victoria Falls and bridge, both on the Zambian and Zimbabwean side from the top.}

^{Three operators namely; Chikopokopo Helicopters, Zambezi Helicopters and Bonisair, provide the service in the country’s prime resort town. The recent resumption of domestic flights and the anticipated start of regional travel has reignited hope for helicopter operators.}

^{Business Chronicle met the Chikopokopo team recently where staff were already on site checking their systems while Covid-19 guidelines such as had washing and sanitizing provisions had been put in place. Chikopokopo proprietor, Lloyd Muchaka, said they have come up with packages for domestic tourists as they are ready to resume flights.}

^{“We are very much prepared and we have been communicating with the regulatory authority (Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe) and it seems like everything is in order,” he said.}

^{“We are excited by the coming of flights like Fastjet and we have been getting inquiries mainly from the domestic tourism. We are hoping very soon we will be getting some from the region,” said Muchaka.}

^{Fastjet resumed scheduled flights last Thursday while Ethiopian Airlines is expected to start tomorrow.  Muchaka said the operator is looking forward to opening of borders particularly in South Africa and Botswana to get clients.}

^{“People are waiting for things to happen but we are getting inquiries and hopefully we will be able to sustain numbers. We are excited to welcome tourists back in the new normal. For now, we will be flying smaller families and making sure they are sanitized, masked as we have put in place necessary health guidelines. As clients come in, they will be sanitized and temperature checked,” he said.}

^{“I don’t think it will be an easy road but somebody has to sacrifice. We have adjusted our prices by about 25 percent as we put in place packages to lure domestic clients.”}

^{However, the tourism industry is generally skeptical about resuming most activities owing to low numbers of clients so far. While the industry has re-opened, there have not been foreign clients visiting Victoria Falls and hopes lie with resumption of regional flights while the operators expect actual business to start early next year.}

^{Last week a number of tourists who flew in using Fastjet reportedly failed to do activities such as boat cruise because no operator was prepared to run a boat for few clients as that would not have been costly.}