ZAIRE CARGO, S. A.: Zaire (1981-1986). This cargo airline is established at N’Djili Airport at Kinshasa in the spring of 1981. A single Lockheed L-100-30 Hercules freighter is acquired, allowing the start-up of domestic and regional nonscheduled service in September. Flights are maintained to a variety of destinations until the company stops trading in 1986.
ZAIRE EXPRESS, S. A.: Zaire (1994-1997). Express Cargo of Kinshasa forms the airline subsidiary Zaire Express, S. A. in 1994 to offer scheduled domestic and regional passenger and cargo services. Stavros Papaioannou is chairman with Jose Endundo as president. A workforce of 1,200 is recruited and revenue flights commence with 1 Boeing 707-358C and 3 British Aerospace BAe (BAC) 1-11-500s.
Despite the civil war that will result in the replacement of the government of Zaire with a new Democratic Republic of the Congo, services continue in 1995-1996.
One each B-737-214 and B-737-227A are acquired and destinations visited include Bauavu, Beni, Bunia, Butembo, Gbadolite, Gemena, Goma, Isiro, Kananga, Kindu, Kisangari, Lubumbashi, Mbandaka, and Mbujimayi.
In the spring of 1997, after the rebel forces of Desire Kabila come to power, this most important privately owned airline in the country changes its name to Congo Airlines, S. A. It also makes an unsuccessful claim on the traffic rights of defunct Air Zaire, S. A., which rights are rather passed to Lignes Aeriennes Congolaises, S. A.
ZAIREAN AIRLINES, S. A.: Blvd. du 30 Juin 3555-3560, P. O. Box 2111, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo; Phone 243 (12) 24 624; Fax 248 (88) 48 103; Code ZAR; Year Founded 1981. Formed at Kinshasa in 1981, Zairean Airlines begins revenue services as a charter carrier with two Vickers Viscount 757 turboprops. Over the next 12 years, the company undertakes regular passenger and cargo services to Bandundu, Boma, Gbadolite, Gemena, Inongo, Kananga, Libenge, Lodja, Mbujimayi, Muanda, Nioki, and Tshikapa.
In 1993, Director General Capt. Alfred Sommerauer’s company employs 38 workers and operates a fleet comprising 1 each Viscount 757 and
1 Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee. Many charter services are now provided.
The fleet is significantly upgraded in 1994 as two B-707-320C
Stratofreighters are placed into service, leaving the Viscount and Piper to handle passenger traffic.
Flights continue in 1995-1996, during which years a B-727-100 is also acquired. One of the Stratofreighters is stored as civil war disrupts the nation. In early 1997, Zaire becomes the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Details on the company thereafter dry up, but it is believed to remain in operation, at least for a time.
ZAKAVIA: U. S.S. R. (1923-1928). This small airline, the name of which is derived from Zakavkazie (“Trans-Caucasus”), is founded at Tbilisi in the Caucasus on May 10, 1923. Employing a Junkers F-13, the company initiates a single return route to Baku.
Later, despite local political difficulties and extremely difficult terrain, the company is able to establish services from its base to south, west, and north, respectively: Djoulda, Yerevan, Batum, and Miner-al’nye Vody.
Unable to achieve growth or maintain viability, the airline is acquired by the Ukrainian carrier Ukvozduchput in 1928.
ZAMBIAAIRWAYS, LTD.: Zambia (1964-1967). Zambia Airways is formed in April 1964 as a subsidiary of Central African Airways Corporation (CAAC). T. M. D. Mtine is named chairman, with R. P. Hartley as managing director. A fleet of 3 de Havilland Canada DHC-2s and
2 Douglas DC-3s is received from CAAC and revenue flight operations commence on July 1 over a route from Salisbury to Kitwe via Kariba, Lusaka, and Ndola.
At the beginning of November, joint service is launched with Air Congo, S. A. (2) over a return route from Ndola to Elisabethville. The Congolese fly the service on Fridays and the Zambians on Thursdays.
On November 11, 1965, Southern Rhodesia’s Prime Minister Ian Smith makes a Unilateral Declaration of Independence speech, breaking relations with its former federated partners, Zambia and Malawi.
Two BAC 1-n-207s originally requested by CAAC are withheld as part of the Commonwealth’s sanctions against Smith’s government. Instead, they are leased out to British Eagle Airways, Ltd. and Swissair, A. G. Flights are maintained during the remainder of the year and through 1966 with the equipment already in hand.
Planning begins in early 1967 for a separation of Air Zambia from CAAC and the Zambia Airways Act passes the national parliament authorizing the creation of a new state carrier to fly both domestic and international services. Alitalia, S. p.A. is chosen from a pool of three applicants to provide management support after the divorce. A new airport is opened at Lusaka in July.
Zambia Airways Corporation is established on September 1 to take over the CAAC subsidiary. Alitalia executive Francesco Casale is seconded to Lusaka to serve as general manager while the two BAC 1-11207s held back in 1965 are turned over to ZAC in mid-December.
When, as part of the sanctions movement, Zambia requires that its airports be closed to service to or from Rhodesia on December 31, Central African Airways Corporation collapses.
World History
