Air Zimbabwe is preparing to restore flights to London for the first time in more than 14 years through a wet-lease agreement with Spanish carrier Plus Ultra Lineas Aereas, marking a significant step in the Zimbabwean flag carrier’s long-running efforts to return to the UK market.
Under a 13-month agreement starting July 1, Plus Ultra will operate services between Harare and London Gatwick Airport (LGW) on behalf of Air Zimbabwe. Flights will be operated using Airbus A330-200 aircraft, with Plus Ultra providing the aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance (ACMI).
The route provides a workaround to restrictions that currently prevent Air Zimbabwe from operating its own aircraft into both the UK and EU. The carrier has been on the EU Air Safety List since May 2017 and is also prohibited from operating commercial services to, from and within the UK. However, regulators permit banned airlines to exercise traffic rights using wet-leased aircraft from ACMI operators that meet the required safety standards.
The return to London would represent a milestone for Air Zimbabwe, which last served LGW in early 2012. At its peak, the airline operated 6X-weekly flights between Harare and London and also offered charter services linking the UK with Victoria Falls.
However, the carrier suspended UK operations amid mounting financial difficulties. In December 2011, one of its Boeing 767-200 aircraft was impounded at LGW over an unpaid debt, accelerating the airline’s withdrawal from the market.
Despite repeated attempts over the years to restore service, Air Zimbabwe has lacked both the fleet and regulatory approvals needed to resume operations. According to the CAPA Fleet Database, the airline currently operates just two active aircraft—a 737-200 and an ATR 42-500—and serves only four destinations: Bulawayo, Harare and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe; and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
According to OAG Schedules Analyser data, there are currently no scheduled nonstop flights between the UK and Zimbabwe. British Airways last served the market in 2007, when it discontinued its London Heathrow-Harare route, citing sustained losses and operational challenges, including difficulties securing fuel in Zimbabwe.
However, demand between the UK and Zimbabwe remains substantial. Sabre Market Intelligence data shows O&D traffic totaled approximately 190,000 two-way passengers in 2025, up 2% year on year. Harare-London was the largest city pair, accounting for about 108,000 passengers, while Harare-Manchester generated nearly 28,000 passengers.
Most travelers relied on one- or two-stop itineraries, with Addis Ababa, Johannesburg, Kigali and Luanda serving as the main connecting gateways. Addis Ababa alone accounted for about 25% of all one-stop UK-Zimbabwe traffic.
For Plus Ultra, the company says the Air Zimbabwe agreement, brokered by Chapman Freeborn Aviation Services, is its third long-term ACMI contract secured with a national airline in the past year, following similar deals with Air Algerie and Tunisair. “It also reflects the confidence the market places in our operational capabilities, safety standards and the commitment of our teams,” says Silvia Avelar, director of ACMI and charter at Plus Ultra.
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