London Gatwick becomes UK’s only airport offering direct flights to Harare
- London Gatwick becomes the UK's only airport offering direct services to Zimbabwe's capital
- Since 2023, passenger traffic between London Gatwick and Africa has grown by 72%
- The arrival adds to a record summer with 63 airline partners operating from the airport
London Gatwick has welcomed Air Zimbabwe’s launch of services to Harare (HRE), becoming the UK's only airport to offer direct flights to Zimbabwe's capital city.
The first flight departed on Thursday 23 July, renewing a direct connection which last operated from London Gatwick more than 14 years ago.
The service will operate three times per week, on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, from the airport's South Terminal using an Airbus A330-200. The route helps meet growing demand for travel to Africa; since 2023, passenger traffic between the continent and London Gatwick has grown by 72%.
Harare, Zimbabwe's capital and largest city, is the country's political, commercial and cultural centre. Beyond offering green open spaces, a vibrant arts scene and growing business links, the city also serves as a gateway to destinations across southern Africa.
The launch adds a new destination to London Gatwick's growing route network and continues a period of expansion that has seen 11 new routes launched so far this year.
Jonny Macneal, Head of Aviation Development, London Gatwick said: “We’re delighted to celebrate the launch of this service to Harare, adding another exciting destination to London Gatwick's growing network and establishing the airport as the UK's only direct link to Zimbabwe's capital.
“The return of direct services between London and Harare after an absence of more than 14 years is hugely significant and provides much-needed connectivity for passengers wishing to travel to and from Zimbabwe. We’re excited to deliver this connectivity, and the enthusiasm which greeted the arrival of the first flight was fantastic to see. We look forward to working with Air Zimbabwe in the years ahead.”
This summer, passengers can choose from more than 230 destinations served by a record 63 airline partners, including 27 routes to Africa operated by 18 carriers, with new routes and airlines continuing to strengthen connectivity across key global markets.
With around 43m annual passengers, London Gatwick is the UK’s second largest and one of Europe’s top airports. It is a vital piece of national infrastructure that drives both the national and regional economies by generating £5.5bn GVA and supporting over 76,000 jobs (2023). More than 60 airlines fly from the airport to over 160 short-haul and more than 50 long-haul destinations. With a declared maximum capacity of 57 movements an hour, London Gatwick is the most efficient single runway airport in the world.
The airport is located 28 miles south of the UK capital and is extremely well-connected, with more than a quarter of England’s population (15m people) – including all of London – less than one hour away by road or rail. A six-year, £2bn sustainable growth programme includes an ambitious plan to be a net zero airport by 2030 and to increase capacity by bringing the airport’s existing Northern Runway into routine use, alongside its Main Runway. VINCI Airports owns a 50.01% stake in the airport, with Global Infrastructure Partners managing the remaining 49.99%.
VINCI Airports, as the leading private airport operator in the world, manages the development and operation of more than 70 airports located in 14 countries. VINCI Airports draws on its expertise as a comprehensive integrator to develop, finance, build and operate airports, leveraging its investment capability and know-how to optimise operational performance and modernise infrastructure while bringing about their environmental transition. In 2016, VINCI Airports became the first airport operator to commit to an international environmental strategy, setting itself the aim of reaching zero net emissions (scope 1 and 2) across the network by 2050 while supporting the territories’ local climate transition.
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