Zambia Airports Corporation Limited (ZACL) has recorded a positive growth spurt of 14.4 per cent in the second quarter of 2018.

A total of 488,640 general passengers passed through the four main airports namely Kenneth Kaunda (KKIA), Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe (SMKIA), Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula (HMNIA) and Mfuwe (MIA) International Airports.

This is when compared to the same period last year which had 427,311 passengers.
In this context, general passengers include both arriving and departing passengers, transit passengers, domestic and international passengers.

ZACL Communications and Brand Manager Mweembe Sikaulu says 101,937 domestic passengers passed through the airports in comparison to 79,658 in the second quarter of 2017 resulting in an increase of 28 per cent.

Ms Sikaulu says similarly international passengers increased by 39,050 resulting in 11.2 per cent increment compared to 2017.

“The total paying passenger traffic during the quarter under review was 173,294 against a budget of 163,338 representing about 6.1% above budget performance. Similarly, this was a positive growth of about 13% when compared to the same period last year when 153,676 paying passengers were recorded,” she said.

Ms Sikaulu discloses that at individual airport level, Kenneth Kaunda International Airport continued to be dominant with 113,289 paying passengers having been recorded during the period under review adding that this was 5.4% above budget of 107, 501 paying passengers in the second quarter.

“During the second quarter of 2018, a total of 15,322 aircraft movements were recorded in the four main airports namely Kenneth Kaunda, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe, Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula and Mfuwe International Airports. When compared to the same period last year which had 13,957 aircraft movements, there was a positive growth of 9.8%,” Ms Sikaulu disclosed.

Ms Sikaulu says when compared to the same period last year, Cargo movement increased by 20.7% in