Botswana’s Mack Air debuts scheduled int’l pax ops

Botswana’s first private airline, Mack Air (MKB, Maun), is putting its regional scheduled plans into action with the launch on May 1, 2021, of the first scheduled flight between Kasane in Botswana’s extreme northeast, and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. The flights will be operated daily using Cessna (single turboprop) 208B EX Grand Caravans. Traditionally a passenger charter specialist, Mack Air last year received a domestic scheduled air service license after it was licensed in late 2019 to carry out scheduled regional flights between Kasane and Victoria Falls; as well as between Maun and Windhoek Int’l, the capital of Namibia. However, the carrier was forced to postpone its regional scheduled plans due to low travel demand due to COVID-19. It continues to hold off on the Windhoek route due to low volumes, Managing Director Michael Weyl told ch-aviation. Mack Air in a statement said the new service was a 20 minute scenic flight over the confluence of rivers that make up the borders of Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia, and Botswana. “We are thoroughly looking forward to offering this to our guests and brining a sense of confidence back to the tourism industry,” Weyl said. “Victoria Falls is well known as a hub for tourist activity. Our new scheduled flight route brings neighbours closer together and offers people a seamless trip. Now, they can take in Victoria Falls, visit a number of Zimbabwe’s destinations, and see Botswana all in one action-packed vacation,” he commented. Mack Air will be offering the only link between Kasane and Victoria Falls. “We not only serve the (Okavango) Delta but now completely connect all Zimbabwe and Botswana’s destinations. Via our partners in Zimbabwe, we can service visitor hot spots, such as Hwange, Mana Pools, and Lake Kariba (in Zimbabwe). This creates an exceptional fly-in safari experience for our passengers.” “On a normal day, anywhere between 200 and 1,000 people travel from Victoria Falls across the border to visit the Chobe National Park (in Botswana). Previously, everyone had to transition by road or charter their own aircraft. But now, with a daily flight, tourists can experience Africa’s best safari destinations with this smooth connection. It’s also far more cost-effective than chartering your own aircraft,” he explained. Established in 1994, Mack Air currently operates a fleet of over 24 aircraft which, aside from the Caravans, includes a Cessna Citation M2 for medevacs and charters.