South African travellers returning from Solwezi to Johannesburg now have more convenient same-day connections as Proflight Zambia increases capacity and frequency on two of its key domestic routes.

The expanded October schedule includes additional Solwezi services timed to connect in Lusaka with onward flights to Johannesburg. Proflight Zambia has also doubled its Kasama schedule to six flights a week, giving regional and international travellers greater flexibility when travelling beyond Lusaka.

Better-timed connections from Solwezi to Johannesburg

A new Friday service from Solwezi departs at 12:50 and arrives in Lusaka at 14:00, giving passengers a connection time of 1 hour and 40 minutes before Proflight Zambia’s 15:40 flight to Johannesburg.

The additional Friday service will operate until Christmas and resume in March 2027. The corresponding flight from Lusaka departs at 11:05 and arrives in Solwezi at 12:15.

From 13 October, a further Tuesday service will operate between Lusaka and Solwezi, departing Lusaka at 16:35 and arriving at 17:30. The aircraft will remain in Solwezi overnight before departing at 06:25 on Wednesday and arriving in Lusaka at 07:20.

This gives passengers a 55-minute connection to Proflight Zambia’s 08:15 Johannesburg service, allowing travellers to leave Solwezi early in the morning and continue to South Africa without a lengthy wait in Lusaka.

The connections are particularly useful for business travellers whose work takes them beyond Zambia’s capital, helping them spend less of the working week in transit.

Kasama increases to six flights a week

Proflight Zambia has also doubled its Kasama schedule to six flights a week, using a 29-seat turboprop aircraft.

Flights operate between Lusaka and Kasama on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, departing Lusaka at 10:25 and arriving in Kasama at 12:00. The return flight departs at 12:35 and arrives in Lusaka at 14:10.

On Fridays, the service operates in the afternoon, departing Lusaka at 14:10 and arriving in Kasama at 15:45. The return flight departs Kasama at 16:20 and arrives in Lusaka at 17:55.

A few dates in October vary slightly owing to planned aircraft maintenance. All times are local, and passengers should consult flyzambia.com for the latest schedules.

Mansa, the third route to benefit from Proflight Zambia’s domestic expansion, had its schedule increased in July and, since 13 September, has had a daily scheduled service for the first time. The growth comes as Mansa Airport undergoes runway and terminal upgrades, which could eventually allow larger aircraft to serve the route.

“When passengers are travelling beyond Lusaka, frequency alone is not enough; the connections also have to work,” said Captain Josias Walubita, Proflight Zambia’s Director of Government and Industry Affairs.

“Proflight Zambia has timed the Solwezi services around the onward Johannesburg flights so passengers can spend less time waiting in Lusaka and more time where they need to be. The increase to Kasama forms part of the same focus on making Zambia’s domestic network more practical for both regional and international travellers.”

More weekend and festive-season choice from Johannesburg

The airline is now operating a third daily return service between Johannesburg and Lusaka every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, supplementing its existing services throughout the week. It will also operate 54 additional flights on the route during the December 2026 and January 2027 holiday period.

The additional weekend services between Johannesburg and Lusaka began on Saturday, 19 September. The new evening flight departs Johannesburg at 18:25 and arrives in Lusaka at 20:25. The return service departs Lusaka at 15:30 and arrives in Johannesburg at 17:30. The expanded schedule gives South African business travellers, holidaymakers, and people visiting friends and relatives more flexibility when planning weekend and festive-season travel.

Cape Town gains a new Friday connection

Cape Town travellers will also gain a new Friday service from 11 December, joining Proflight Zambia’s existing Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday flights.

The Friday flight will depart Cape Town at 15:55 and arrive in Lusaka at 20:10. The return service will depart Lusaka at 10:40 and arrive in Cape Town at 15:05.

Operating via Livingstone with a brief stopover, the service gives Cape Town travellers a fourth weekly connection to Lusaka and a fourth weekly direct link to Livingstone. It also improves access to destinations across Zambia through Proflight Zambia’s domestic network.

The Friday schedule connects with morning services from Ndola, Solwezi, Kalumbila, and Mfuwe, making it easier for passengers travelling between Cape Town and Zambia’s key business and leisure destinations to complete their journeys through a single airline network.

Captain Josias Walubita, Director of Government and Industry Affairs at Proflight Zambia, said: “Air connectivity works best when a schedule reflects how people actually travel. The Johannesburg additions provide greater choice over the weekend, while the Friday Cape Town service has been timed to connect with flights from key destinations across Zambia. Rather than simply adding seats, this expansion is about building a more useful regional network that supports the business relationships, family ties, and tourism links between Zambia and South Africa.”

Full schedules are available at flyzambia.com. All flights are bookable through flyzambia.com, Proflight Zambia’s sales offices, and travel trade partners. No flights will operate on Christmas Day, 25 December.

The acquisition increases the airline’s Jetstream 41 fleet from four to seven aircraft. For South African business and leisure travellers, the expanded fleet will support more dependable regional travel and smoother onward connections from Lusaka and Livingstone to key destinations across Zambia.

Proflight Zambia currently connects South Africa and Zambia through services between Johannesburg/Cape Town and Lusaka, and Cape Town and Livingstone. Once in Zambia, passengers can connect onwards to destinations including Mfuwe, home to South Luangwa National Park; Livingstone, gateway to Victoria Falls; Ndola in the Copperbelt; and other important commercial and leisure centres.

The additional aircraft will allow Proflight Zambia to increase frequency and capacity across its domestic network while supporting improved schedule reliability and passenger convenience. They also create the potential for new domestic and international routes next year.

Crucially, the larger fleet provides greater operational redundancy. This gives the airline more flexibility when aircraft undergo scheduled or unplanned maintenance, helping to protect flight schedules and reduce disruption for passengers travelling between South Africa and Zambia or connecting onwards within the country.

“Proflight Zambia welcomes the additional three BAE Jetstream 41 29-seat turboprop aircraft, which have now been flown home to Lusaka by our very own crew,” said Captain Josias Walubita, Proflight Zambia’s Director Government and Industry Affairs.

“The purchase of these aircraft will enable the airline to meet growing local demand and support our commitment to providing safe and reliable connectivity across Zambia, even as the country targets 20 per cent growth in domestic tourism in 2026. We are extremely proud of our flight and maintenance crew, who successfully ferried the three aircraft from North Lincolnshire in the UK to Lusaka, Zambia.”

As the Jetstream 41 is already an established part of Proflight Zambia’s fleet, the airline has the operational, maintenance and crew capability to integrate the additional aircraft smoothly into its existing operations. Before departing the UK, all three aircraft received the necessary regulatory approvals and were successfully placed on the Zambian register and issued their 9J registrations.

The investment comes as Zambia continues to attract South African visitors travelling for business, holidays, safari experiences and visits to friends and relatives. By strengthening its domestic operation, Proflight Zambia is making it easier for travellers to connect from South Africa and explore more of Zambia through a single airline network.

Importantly, getting delegates there is no longer the logistical question it once was. Proflight Zambia, the country’s largest airline, operates scheduled services connecting Johannesburg and Cape Town directly to both Lusaka and Livingstone, and has opened various new regional routes in the past few years, including to Maun and Windhoek, removing one of the historic objections to Zambia as a conference destination before the conversation even begins.

But to understand why Zambia’s MICE (Meetings Incentives Conferences Events) moment is happening now, you need to understand what’s happening across the continent…

The market making this possible

Africa’s MICE sector is in the middle of a growth cycle that is outpacing every other region globally. Valued at $16.6 billion in 2023, the market is projected to reach $65.6 billion by 2032, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 17%, according to Business Traveller. Furthermore, business tourism demand across the continent is up roughly 40%, and more than 48% of multinational companies operating in the region have increased their event-related spending.

The incentive travel segment is growing the fastest of all, at 17.2% CAGR, and this is where Zambia’s geography becomes a notable competitive asset. Rather than looking for another hotel ballroom, incentive buyers are looking for transformative experiences that a top-performing sales team will still be talking about two years later. Victoria Falls, the Zambezi River, South Luangwa National Park, Lower Zambezi National Park – these are not consolation prizes for delegates who couldn’t get a room in Cape Town. They are, increasingly, the point.

But a booming market does not distribute itself evenly, and the race to capture Africa’s MICE windfall is already well underway.

The competitive landscape is shifting

For years, Africa’s MICE map has been drawn around a small number of established centres. South Africa leads the continent with 115 international association meetings recorded in ICCA’s Globewatch 2025 data, with Cape Town, Marrakech, and Kigali the only African cities to regularly feature in the global top 100 MICE destinations.

But the race for the next tier of African MICE destinations is wide open. Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Accra, and Lusaka are all being actively positioned. South Africa’s National Convention Bureau is pushing planners beyond Cape Town; Johannesburg, Durban, Stellenbosch, and Tshwane are all building their pipelines.

The distribution of Africa’s MICE boom is not yet settled. Destinations that move now, with the right infrastructure and the right connectivity, will capture disproportionate share. Those that wait will find the ground already taken.

Zambia has read the room, and it is building accordingly.

Zambia is building

The Livingstone/Victoria Falls corridor is being actively repositioned as a year-round business events destination – a deliberate diversification away from seasonal safari dependency that reflects both commercial pragmatism and growing international demand. The Zambia Tourism Expo, ZATEX 2026, ran in June at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka, drawing international buyers and trade partners to assess the country’s offer firsthand.

Behind the scenes, the professionalisation of Zambia’s hospitality sector is accelerating. The recent launch of a Hotel Managers Registration Council demonstrates that the country is aligning its standards with what international MICE organisers require before they will commit a conference bid.

The strategic opportunity now is to convert Zambia’s leisure familiarity into conference and incentive bookings. The destination sell is largely done. What has historically been missing is the infrastructure confidence – the certainty that delegates can get there reliably. 

Connectivity is the unlock

MICE destinations are made or broken by airlift. A destination can have world-class venues, compelling experiences, and competitive pricing, and still lose conference bids because planners can’t guarantee their delegates a reliable route in and out.

“Regional carriers like Proflight Zambia now operate scheduled services connecting Johannesburg and Cape Town directly to both Lusaka and Livingstone, with routes to Windhoek and Maun further extending Zambia’s regional connectivity. For a South African corporate travel manager who last assessed Zambia’s accessibility several years ago, the current network would look significantly different to the one they remember,” says Captain Josias Walubita, Proflight Zambia’s Director of Flight Operations.

“Air access is one of the most powerful enablers of tourism and business events growth,” he added – a position that aligns with the broader direction of Zambia’s Airlift Zambia Initiative, a strategic programme aimed at strengthening connectivity and attracting new international carriers to the country.

The initiative’s ambitions received significant external validation in June, with the announcement that Zambia will host AviaDev Africa 2027 – the continent’s leading air service development conference – with Zambia Airports Corporation confirmed as official host partner. Previous editions have been held in Windhoek, Zanzibar, and Botswana. Zambia’s selection reflects a growing consensus among airlines and aviation decision-makers that the country’s connectivity story is one worth investing in.

The window is now

Africa’s MICE boom will not wait. The destinations capturing share in 2026 and 2027 are the ones that will define the continent’s business events landscape for the decade that follows.

“Zambia has the venues, the experiences, the government backing, and, increasingly, the air access to compete seriously for that share,” concludes Walubita.

The question for South African corporates and conference planners is simple: how much longer will you keep booking the same rooms in the same cities, when one of Africa’s most extraordinary destinations is now reliably within reach? Zambia is ready, and the flights are there. The only thing missing is your delegates.

But here’s what the improving global picture hasn’t changed: Africa in July is exceptional. And South Africans who turn their attention to exploring the broader continent this winter will find themselves richly rewarded.

“The irony is that while everyone was watching Europe and waiting for the world to settle down, Africa was delivering some of the most extraordinary travel experiences on the planet,” says Antoinette Turner, GM of Flight Centre South Africa. “June–August is genuinely one of the best months to be on this continent. The wildlife viewing is at its peak, the skies are clear, and there are plenty of opportunities to create those cosy forever-memories with those you love most. Our Travel Experts have been saying this for years. The data is finally catching up.”

Regional African travel surged in 2025 and is a confirmed growth trend for 2026, according to Flight Centre’s Year in Travel 2025 report. Two thirds of South Africans travelled specifically for nature last year, 65% travelled to recharge and escape burnout, and 83% say travel is essential for their mental health. Africa, it turns out, is not a compromise destination. For an overwhelming majority of South Africans, it is precisely the kind of travel that matters most.

Where to go – and why winter is the perfect moment

Kafue National Park, Zambia

Kafue is Africa’s second-largest national park (roughly the size of Wales) and, remarkably, one of its least visited. In winter, the Busanga Plains in Kafue’s remote north flood with game, including lion prides, massive eland herds, and the elusive sitatunga.

“Kafue is the destination I find myself recommending more and more to travellers who’ve done the Kruger and who are ready for something that feels truly undiscovered,” comments Turner. “Clients who go invariably say it’s the trip that changed their benchmark for what a safari can be.”

One of the most compelling reasons to base a winter itinerary around Kafue is what becomes possible immediately afterwards. Proflight Zambia currently operates direct flights from both Lusaka and Livingstone to Maun (the primary gateway to Botswana’s Okavango Delta), running on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays through to the end of October, covering the entirety of peak season. In practical terms, that means a seamless two-country wilderness itinerary is not only possible; it’s straightforward.

Josias Walubita, Director of Flight Operations at Proflight Zambia, explains:

“The Lusaka–Maun and Livingstone–Maun routes open up an incredible opportunity for travellers who want to experience the very best of southern and central Africa in a single trip. Zambia and Botswana together offer a wilderness combination that is genuinely world-class, and having a reliable, scheduled connection between the two means travellers no longer have to choose between them. We’re proud to be making that journey easier during what is arguably the finest wildlife season on the continent.”

The Okavango Delta, Botswana

The Delta is at its annual flood peak in winter, transformed by waters that have travelled thousands of kilometres from the Angolan highlands to fan out across the Kalahari in one of nature’s most extraordinary spectacles. Islands emerge, channels multiply, wildlife concentrates on elevated ground, and the game viewing becomes almost implausibly good. A mokoro gliding silently through papyrus-lined waterways at dawn is one of the great travel experiences available anywhere on earth right now.

“There’s something about being that immersed in a functioning wilderness, with no signal and no schedule, that does what no European city break can. We’re seeing strong demand for Delta camps this winter, and for good reason,” Turner says.

Walvis Bay, Namibia

Namibia’s desert-meets-ocean landscape is one of the most visually arresting on the continent, and Walvis Bay places you at the heart of it without the crowds that increasingly follow Swakopmund’s rising profile. The lagoon here is one of Africa’s most important wetland sites, home to vast flocks of flamingos that turn the shallows pink at dusk. Dune 7, among the highest sand dunes in Namibia, looms just outside town, and the seal colony at Cape Cross is close enough for a day trip. This is a destination that rewards the traveller who prefers to discover rather than follow.

Zanzibar, Tanzania

Zanzibar has long deserved a direct connection from South Africa, and Airlink has just delivered one – a twice-weekly year-round service from Johannesburg that removes the layover and the guesswork from what was previously a more complicated journey. The island needs little introduction: turquoise waters, powder-white beaches, Stone Town’s labyrinthine spice-scented streets. With frequency increasing to three weekly flights over the peak December period and a Cape Town route launching in October, access to Zanzibar from South Africa has never been simpler.

The global travel conversation is slowly returning to normal. Long-haul routes are reopening, and the familiar pull of European summers is reasserting itself. All of that is excellent news, but it does raise a question worth pondering: when the rest of the world was grounded, distracted, and recalibrating, Africa never stopped being extraordinary.

The travellers who noticed that first are already booked.

South African travellers can book the entire journey – from Johannesburg or Cape Town through to Maun – as a single through-ticket on one Proflight Zambia reservation. Johannesburg travellers fly daily into Lusaka, overnight, and continue to Maun the following morning. Cape Town travellers fly directly into Livingstone, spend time at Victoria Falls, and depart to Maun on a subsequent service, making the journey itself as much a part of the experience as the destinations.

Until now, combining Victoria Falls with the Okavango Delta in a single itinerary required routing back through Johannesburg, adding cost, time, and unnecessary complexity to what is a natural geographic pairing. The new service eliminates that entirely.

Captain Josias Walubita, Chief Pilot and Director of Flight Operations at Proflight Zambia, says the route addresses one of the most persistent frustrations for Southern African safari travellers.

“South African travellers have always understood that Victoria Falls and the Okavango Delta belong in the same itinerary – the geography makes it obvious. What has held them back is the aviation infrastructure to make it practical. With this route, we are opening up a safari corridor that makes one of the world’s great multi-destination wildlife journeys genuinely accessible for the first time.”

The new corridor makes possible what is arguably Southern Africa’s most compelling safari itinerary: Zambia’s South Luangwa, Lower Zambezi, and Kafue National Parks combined with Victoria Falls, then onward to the Okavango Delta, Chobe National Park, and the Makgadikgadi Pans.

Peak season accommodation across both destinations books out quickly. Tickets are available now through Proflight Zambia’s sales offices, via travel agents, or online at flyzambia.com.

But that is beginning to change. And with global travel routes facing increasing disruption due to conflicts and airspace closures, a growing number of travellers are turning their gaze inward.

“There has never been a better time for South Africans to discover what exists beyond their own borders on this continent,” says Captain Josias Walubita, Director Flight Operations at Proflight Zambia. “Zambia and Namibia, in particular, offer experiences that are genuinely world-class and largely uncrowded, as well as visa-free for South African passport holders. Most South Africans simply don’t realise how accessible these destinations now are, or how seamlessly you can combine them into a single trip.”

Until recently, combining Zambia and Namibia in a single itinerary meant routing back through Johannesburg between the two countries, a detour that added hours of travel time to an already ambitious trip. For most travellers, that kind of inefficiency was enough to shelve the idea entirely.

Proflight Zambia’s new Lusaka–Livingstone–Windhoek service changes the equation. Operating three times weekly on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, the route links Zambia’s capital directly to Windhoek, Namibia’s capital, in just over three hours. Passengers board in Lusaka, make a brief stop in Livingstone (enough time to be served  the locally roasted Kasama coffee,) and arrive in Windhoek without changing aircraft.

What was once a logistical puzzle is now a single, seamless journey.

Zambia: Africa at Its Most Elemental

Zambia opens with the Zambezi River thundering over the Victoria Falls (the largest waterfall on earth by combined width and height), and it does not let up from there.

What most South African travellers do not know is that the Zambian side of Victoria Falls offers a fundamentally different experience from its Zimbabwean counterpart, with viewing points less manicured and more intimate. During peak flow season, the spray is so dense it creates its own weather system, and during low water season, you can walk across exposed rock formations and peer directly into the gorge. It’s the same waterfall, seen from a completely different vantage point.

Then there’s the Lower Zambezi National Park, a floodplain ecosystem where elephants wade through the river shallows and canoe safaris bring you eye-level with hippos and crocodiles in a way that no land-based game drive can replicate. South Luangwa, meanwhile, is widely regarded by wildlife experts as one of the finest national parks on the continent – the birthplace of the walking safari, extraordinarily rich in leopard, and still relatively unvisited compared to more heavily marketed East African destinations.

Lusaka itself, often dismissed as a transit point, is increasingly worth a day of anyone’s time, a city with a growing food scene and markets that provide a genuine window into contemporary Zambian life.

Namibia: The Continent’s Most Otherworldly Landscape

The Namib Desert is the oldest desert on earth, and Sossusvlei, its most celebrated corner, is the kind of place that recalibrates your sense of scale. The dunes (some exceeding 300 metres in height) change in colour from burnt orange to deep red as the light moves through the day.

Etosha National Park, in the north, offers a safari experience unlike anywhere else in Africa. The vast salt pan at its centre creates a moonscape backdrop against which lion, elephant, black rhino, and cheetah gather at floodlit waterholes after dark, a wildlife spectacle that is both dramatic and eerily silent. Namibia also has one of the healthiest black rhino populations on the continent, and community-based conservation here is among the most sophisticated and successful in Africa.

Of course, nobody can forget the Skeleton Coast, where the cold Benguela Current meets the desert at the edge of the Atlantic, and seal colonies number in the hundreds of thousands. It’s one of the most desolate and beautiful places on earth.

Finally, Windhoek, the capital, is compact, walkable, and surprisingly cosmopolitan – a useful base and a genuinely pleasant place to begin or end a journey.

A 10-Day Example Itinerary: The Southern Circuit

Days 1–2: Lusaka
Land at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport. Explore Lusaka’s markets and spend some time strolling through the Lusaka National Museum or Kabwata Cultural Village.

Days 3–4: Lower Zambezi National Park
From Lusaka, fly directly into the park at Jeki or Royal airstrips – Proflight operates seasonal connections that put you in the wilderness in just 35 minutes. Two nights of game drives, canoe safaris, and guided walks along the river.

Days 5–6: Livingstone & Victoria Falls
Return to Lusaka and connect south to Livingstone (Proflight runs daily services on this route). Two days centred on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls: a sunset cruise on the Zambezi, a walk through the rainforest trail, or white-water rafting in the gorge below the falls.

Day 7: Livingstone to Windhoek
Board your Proflight service from Livingstone and arrive in Windhoek by early afternoon. Spend the evening on foot – the Christuskirche, the Craft Centre, the restaurants around Independence Avenue.

Days 8–9: Etosha National Park
Drive north to Etosha (around four to five hours from Windhoek) or take a short charter flight. Two days of waterhole game drives with lion, elephant, black rhino, and cheetah among the regulars. Stay inside the park for floodlit night viewing that is unlike anything in Southern Africa.

Day 10: Windhoek & Depart
A final morning in the city before flying home.

This itinerary works equally well in reverse, beginning in Windhoek and ending in Lusaka. Proflight Zambia’s Livingstone–Windhoek service operates three times weekly in both directions.

The world’s most-travelled routes are under pressure. As of mid-March, since the escalation of Middle East hostilities in late February, well over 50,000 flights to, from, or via the Middle East have been cancelled or grounded and more than six million passengers affected, according to the New York Times.

But rather than what is happening elsewhere, the more compelling part of this story is what is right in front of us – accessible with less effort, less money, and much greater peace of mind.

Zambia and Namibia, experienced together, promise a journey that is genuinely difficult to overstate. Ancient deserts and thundering waterfalls. Canoe safaris and floodlit waterholes. Cities that are growing into themselves.

A continent that has been here all along, waiting.

The new route creates a strategic link between Zambia and Namibia, allowing South Africans to easily combine business or leisure trips across the region without unnecessary backtracking.

Strategic Connectivity for South Africa

This launch is particularly significant for the South African market as it complements Proflight Zambia’s existing direct flights from Cape Town to Livingstone and from Johannesburg to Lusaka.

Speaking at the launch, Zambia’s Minister of Transport and Logistics, Hon. Frank Museba Tayali, highlighted the regional impact:

“We all know that Proflight is flying into Cape Town. Now we are getting into Windhoek… ultimately, we shall achieve that regional connectivity that is extremely important. It is steps such as what Proflight have done that are going to enable this to become possible.”

Operational Details & Schedule

Flights operate three times weekly on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays using a 50-seat Bombardier CRJ-200 jet.

• Depart Lusaka: 08:30 | Depart Livingstone: 09:55 | Arrive Windhoek: 11:35
• Depart Windhoek: 12:20 | Arrive Livingstone: 13:55 | Arrive Lusaka: 15:20

As the only IOSA-registered airline in Zambia, Proflight ensures all flights meet internationally recognised safety standards. This gives South African corporate and leisure travellers confidence and peace of mind while exploring the region.

Seamless Passenger Experience

Crucially for business travellers, while the Livingstone–Windhoek leg is direct, the Lusaka–Windhoek route includes a brief 30-minute stop in Livingstone where passengers remain on board, enjoying refreshments including locally roasted Kasama coffee, before continuing to Namibia.

The schedule also facilitates seamless connections with 12 interline partners, allowing for efficient ticketing for global travellers.

“This corridor reflects Proflight Zambia’s commitment to strategic, integrated aviation. By coordinating schedules and interline connections, we’re making it easier for companies, MICE delegates, and tourists to travel efficiently across Southern Africa,” said Proflight Zambia Regional Manager Southern Africa, Mr. Robert Gurr.

This service opens doors for combined Zambia–Namibia tourism circuits for tour operators and travel agents. It is now feasible to book clients on an itinerary that includes Victoria Falls, the Lower Zambezi, and Etosha National Park or the Skeleton Coast in a single trip, anchored by Proflight’s IOSA-accredited safety standards.

Proflight Zambia, leading regional airline linking South Africa and Zambia, has successfully completed the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), the globally recognised benchmark for airline safety. Proflight is now officially Zambia’s only IOSA-registered airline, providing South African travellers and businesses with the assurance of world-class safety standards for flights between Johannesburg, Lusaka, Livingstone, and many other Zambian destinations.

This milestone marks a significant step in Proflight Zambia’s long-standing commitment to operational safety and the delivery of world-class standards. The achievement is the result of sustained investment over several years in staff training, systems, and compliance with international aviation safety standards.

“Safety is, and will always remain, our top priority,” said Mr Kenneth Sunga Silavwe, Director – Safety, Quality, Security and IT at Proflight Zambia. “Successful completion of the IOSA audit reflects the discipline, professionalism, and dedication of our teams, as well as Proflight Zambia’s commitment to continuous improvement. Being registered on the IOSA Registry validates our safety management systems and further strengthens our standing as a trusted airline in the region.”

Recognised globally as the gold standard for airline operational safety, the IOSA programme is a comprehensive evaluation of an airline’s operational management and control systems. Registration on the IOSA Registry confirms that Proflight Zambia conforms to IATA’s IOSA Standards and Recommended Practices (ISARPs) and aligns its operations with internationally accepted safety and regulatory frameworks.

IOSA-registered airlines consistently demonstrate stronger safety performance than non-IOSA operators. Industry data shows that airlines listed on the IOSA Registry record lower all-accident rates, demonstrating the effectiveness of the IOSA framework in enhancing operational safety.

“Completing the IOSA audit and achieving IOSA registration is more than meeting international safety standards—it enhances market credibility, supports operational excellence, and reinforces passenger confidence,” Mr Silavwe added.

IOSA registration means South Africans visiting Zambia for business or tourism can fly with confidence, knowing Proflight Zambia is internationally recognised for its operational safety and reliability. The enhanced safety rating is also expected to boost interline and code share agreements, making travel from South Africa to Zambia and beyond even more convenient.

The new route will operate three times weekly between 1 May and 31 October 2026 as follows:

Days: Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays

• Lusaka – Maun (via Livingstone): 09:10-12:00
• Livingstone – Maun (Direct): 11:05-12:00
• Maun – Lusaka (via Livingstone): 12:35-15:25
• Maun – Livingstone (Direct): 12:35-13:30

Proflight Zambia will operate the route using its dependable Jetstream 41 aircraft, offering 29 seats and a proven record of reliability.

Passengers travelling between Lusaka and Maun will clear immigration at Livingstone Airport, streamlining the cross-border process for a stress-free travel experience.

Designed to integrate with onward connections in Zambia, the route allows for easy access to safari favourites like South Luangwa (Mfuwe) and Lower Zambezi (Jeki and Royal), making multi-destination safaris across Botswana and Zambia easier and faster than ever before – around 4–5 hours by air, end-to-end.

Previously, such journeys involved expensive private charters, long drives, or detours through Johannesburg. With this new flight path, South African travellers now have a more direct and cost-effective option.

“This new route reflects Proflight Zambia’s commitment to strengthening regional tourism and connectivity. By linking Zambia and Botswana’s premier tourism destinations, we are opening doors for travellers and contributing towards the sustainability of local economies,” said Proflight Zambia Director of Flight Operations Captain Josias Walubita.

Proflight Zambia continues to position itself as a strategic partner in regional development, offering safe, reliable, and efficient air services while supporting the growth of Southern Africa’s trade and tourism sectors.

“Through this expansion, we are not just connecting destinations; we are connecting people, parks and wildlife sanctuaries, experiences, and economic opportunities,” Captain Walubita concluded.