Proflight Zambia will be increasing its regional capacity with the addition of a new 50-seater Bombardier CRJ-200 jet aircraft leased from Avmax Aircraft Leasing Inc based in Canada, which has signed a three-year lease agreement to lease the jet.
Delivery is expected to take place in mid-December as Zambia’s longest-running local airline eye’s services beginning February 1.
ProFlight Zambia flight operation captain noted that the new agreement was a bold move especially coming from a two-year travel downturn marked by the fluctuating travel demand.
“Under the circumstances, this has been a very big decision for the shareholders, but we feel we have to take the step now in order to move forward,” said Proflight Zambia Director Flight Operations Captain Josias Walubita before adding.
“I would like to thank all our staff for their teamwork and commitment during this difficult year. It is that commitment that has enabled us to take this significant step forward despite the devastation that COVID-19 has brought to the aviation industry. We are all excited at this new chapter in the life of Proflight Zambia.”
The new CRJ – the second in Proflight’s fleet – will enable the airline to increase the frequency of its popular service between Lusaka and Johannesburg, and expand its regional network further.
It will also complement the airline’s existing CRJ-100 jet. The Bombardier CRJ-100 and CRJ-200 are based upon the design of the Challenger CL-600 business jet, the same type as Zambia’s Presidential jet (9J-ONE).
“We are pleased to enter into a leasing agreement with ProFlight Zambia, which has built a strong reputation for providing highly reliable and quality services to its passengers. The addition of the CRJ200 is a testament to a recovering market and allows ProFlight Zambia to add additional frequencies and more destinations. We look forward to building upon this partnership with Proflight,” said Mark Maydaniuk, CEO of Avmax Group Inc.
The new 50-seater jet has a range of 1,700 miles, opening up the potential for routes from Lusaka to Cape Town, Mauritius, Luanda and other regional destinations, subject to demand.
Equipped with newer generation engines, the CRJ-200 provide improvements in performance including lower fuel consumption, an increase in cruise altitude and cruise speed and range.
