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Zimbabwe Airways

Air Zimbabwe
Air Rhodesia

Air Zimbabwe

by Bruce Berry, 17 Feb 1998

Air Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe's national airline, is a parastatal organisation and successor to Air Rhodesia which changed its name and corporate identity following independence in 1980. The new colours are taken from the Zimbabwean flag and reflect the status of the airline as the "national carrier".
Bruce Berry, 17 Feb 1998

Air Rhodesia flag

by Antonio Martins, 20 Nov 1997

The first domestic airline in Zimbabwe was formed in 1933 and called Rhodesia and Nyasaland Airways and operated flights between Salisbury, Bulawayo and Johannesburg and later between Salisbury and Beira. During World War II the airline was taken over by the government and was renamed Central African Airways (CAA). The first international flights to Britain began in 1947. After the dissolution of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasland in December 1963, it was agreed that CAA would continue with subsidiary territorial airlines. However, with the declaration of UDI in Rhodesia in 1965 and the subsequent political and economic isolation of Rhodesia, Air Rhodesia was established as a national airline in September 1967 and CAA ceased to operate. Air Rhodesia operated local and regional flights. It was renamed Air Zimbabwe Rhodesia in June 1979 and became Air Zimbabwe, with new corporate colours (see above) following independence in April 1980.
Bruce Berry, 17 Feb 1998