The Swaziland government-owned air carrier, Royal Swazi Airlines, financially collapsed in 1999 but has now been revived as Swazi Airways. The first flight is scheduled for Durban the first week of February. Licensing is being finalised with the Independent Civil Aviation Authority (Icao).

“We have concluded almost all the pre-operational phases which included hiring staff, offices, facilities, and equipment. We have acquired the aircraft, done a little bit of marketing and our first flight is coming soon,” acting Chief Executive Officer, Guillermo Barrios, told business and government leaders assembled for the airline launch last week. 

The aircraft will have business and commercial sections and will also carry airfreight, said Swazi Airways Board Chairperson, Nokuthula Mthembu. A 110-passenger Boeing 737-500 aircraft has been leased and will be put on a thrice weekly flight schedule. On Mondays, Swazi Airways will fly to Harare and Cape Town out of King Mswati III International Airport (KM3). Tuesday’s flight goes to Durban and then Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Flying from Dubai on Thursdays, the carrier goes to Harare and then Cape Town.

The airline promises to fly to Dubai in nine hours instead of the 12 to 14 hours usually clocked by other airlines.