PRESS RELEASE 2017 QUARTER 3 RESULTS
Zambia Airports Corporation Limited (ZACL) has recorded a positive growth spurt of 8.5 per cent in the third quarter of 2017. A total of 495,685 general passengers passed through 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 456,750 passengers. In this context, general passengers include both arriving and departing passengers, transit passengers, domestic and international passengers.
94,735 domestic passengers passed through the airports in comparison to 84,147 in the third quarter of 2016 resulting in an increase of 12.6 per cent. Similarly international passengers increased by 28,347 resulting in a 7.6 per cent increment from 2016.
Some notable factors that led to the growth were as follows;
1. Stable and strengthened currency saw a rebound in small merchants and traders involved in overseas trading particularly to Dubai and China
2. The tourist travel market had begun to settle after effects of the Ebola outbreak in 2014/2015 in West Africa negatively affected tourism in the country
3. Increase in Zambia being used as a MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) venue.
4. New entrant on the domestic scene; Mahogany Airlines
Paying Passenger Movements
Paying passengers are all departing passengers from the four designated airports at Kenneth Kaunda, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe, Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula and Mfuwe International Airports. The total paying passenger traffic during the quarter under review was 177,101 against a budget of 169,924 representing about 4.2% above budget performance. Similarly, this was a positive growth of about 11% when compared to the same period last year when 160,143 paying passengers were recorded.
At individual airport level, Kenneth Kaunda International Airport continued to be dominant with 115,119 paying passengers having been recorded during the period under review. This was 3.8% above budget when against a budget of 110,857 paying passengers. However, this was a positive growth of about 10% when compared to the same period last year when 104,582 paying passengers were recorded.
The performance at Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe and Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airports was positive against the budget performing at 10.6% and 3.2% respectively, while Mfuwe International Airport was the only airport that recorded a negative performance at -6.7% below budget.
In comparison to the same period last year, Kenneth Kaunda, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe and Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airports all recorded positive growths at 10%, 19%, and 9% respectively, while Mfuwe International Airport recoded a negative growth of -3%.
Furthermore, Kenneth Kaunda and Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport performed strongly against the budget in both domestic and international paying passenger movements at 4.6% and 20.5% for domestic and 3.7% and 5.8% for international respectively. Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport performed above the budget in domestic paying passenger movements at 22.5% and below budget when it comes to International passenger movements at -1.1%. Mfuwe International Airport performed below budget in both Domestic and international passenger movements at -4.9% and -28.5% respectively.
General Passenger Movement Performance by Airport
All airports recorded positive growths in the third quarter of 2017 when compared to the same period last year. Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe and Kenneth Kaunda International Airports recorded the highest growths at 11.2% and 8.9% respectively while Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula and Mfuwe International Airports grew by 5.5% and 1.4% respectively. These growths were due to a general improvement in the number of travelers as outlined in 1.0 above.
Kenneth Kaunda International Airport had the largest number of passengers being the main gateway in the country. The airport handled 69% of total general passenger movements in the Third quarter of 2017. Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe and Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airports handled 15% and 14% of total passengers respectively. The smallest airport, Mfuwe International Airport carried 2% of the total traffic.
Aircraft Movement
During the Third quarter of 2017, a total of 16,223 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 16,889 aircraft movements, there was a negative growth of -3.9%.
Domestic aircraft movements decreased by -2.5% from 9,333 aircraft movements in the Third quarter of 2016 to 9,104 aircraft movements in the Third quarter of 2017. However, international aircraft movements decreased by -5.8% from 7,556 aircraft movements in the Third quarter of 2016 to 7,119 aircraft movements in Third quarter 2017. While passenger numbers improved, mostly on scheduled operators, there was a drop in small charter aircraft movements.
Cargo Movement
When compared to the same period last year, Cargo movement decreased by -5.4% in the Third quarter of 2017. The decrease is mainly due to increase in agricultural produce trucked through South Africa for onward export into Europe as freight charges in Zambia continue to be relatively higher when compared with other countries in the region.
About Zambia Airports Corporation Limited
Zambia Airports Corporation Limited was established in 1989 through the amendment of the Aviation Act, Chapter 444 of the Laws of Zambia and incorporated under the Companies Act Chapter 388. All property, rights, liabilities and obligations of the Government relating to the four designated airports were transferred to the Company.
The Corporation’s mandate is to develop, maintain and manage the four designated international airports, namely Kenneth Kaunda in Lusaka, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe in Ndola, Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula in Livingstone and Mfuwe.
For further information contact:
Mweembe Sikaulu (Ms)
Communications and Brand Manager
mweembe.sikaulu@lun.aero; cell: +260 964 629463