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The Herald, 28 March 1980

WEARING the new Air Zimbabwe livery and looking like new, VP-WGA roared into the air for its first look at Salisbury yesterday morning.

VP-WGA is the registration of the new flagship of the national airline fleet; a special long-range version of the famous Boeing 707 jetliner which will launch Air Zimbabwe’s new 10 and a quarter hours direct service to London on Wednesday.

The Boeing 707, which is longer (there are nine more cabin windows on either side) and carries noticeably larger engines under its swept wings, flew to Salisbury on its delivery flight late on Wednesday night.

The airline is unwilling to give the source or the cost of its latest acquisition, which will go on public view for the first time this morning at Salisbury’s domestic terminal, where invited guests will also see the airline’s new air hostess uniforms.

The big jet took off for an hour of test flying for its crew yesterday morning, watched by a small crowd on the terminal balcony.

In the afternoon the Boeing carried its first load of passengers for Air Zimbabwe on the Johannesburg service.

Lessons For Today

National airlines play a significant role in nation building and national identity. They  have traditionally been seen as important national symbols that enhance the country’s image internationally.

The country’s national carrier Air Zimbabwe, started operating on September 1, 1967, when the colonial government established Air Rhodesia Corporation to succeed Air Rhodesia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Central African Airways Corporation (CAAC) that had been operating domestic routes since 1964.

The airline’s name was changed to Air Zimbabwe Rhodesia in 1978 and Air Zimbabwe in April 1980 when the country gained its independence. Today, Air Zimbabwe prides itself as Zimbabwe’s hospitality carrier in the skies.

The recapitalisation of Air Zimbabwe is very important as it will enable the airline to fly to many destinations across the globe, which will augur well for the country’s reputation internationally.