Harare-Lusaka one of the shortest Airbus hops in t...

Harare-Lusaka one of the shortest Airbus hops in the world

Ethiopian Airlines Fleet Airbus A350-900 Details and Pictures

Zim Now Reporter

The Harare to Lusaka route, spanning 250 miles, is one of the shortest routes operated by the Airbus A350 according to Cirium, an aviation data analytics company.

In March 2025, Ethiopian Airlines will operate 13 flights in each direction on this route using its A350-900 aircraft.

These flights are part of Ethiopian Airlines' broader network connecting Harare and Lusaka to its hub in Addis Ababa, and not a specific route between Harare and Lusaka.

The Airbus A350 operates on several other short routes, including flights between Istanbul and Ankara, Doha and Dubai, Istanbul and Izmir, Doha and Abu Dhabi, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, Mauritius and Reunion, Doha, and Dammam, Milan and Zurich. Curaçao and Bonaire.

The Airbus A350 entered commercial service in 2015 with Qatar Airways and has since become a major player in the long-haul market. As of 2023, over 640 A350s are in active service worldwide, with the largest operators being Singapore Airlines (65), Qatar Airways (58), Cathay Pacific (48), Air France (35), and Delta Air Lines (35).

While the A350 is primarily used for long-haul routes, it occasionally operates on short-haul routes, some as short as 47 miles. Ethiopian Airlines, a key operator of the A350, uses the aircraft on routes like Harare-Lusaka and Milan-Zurich, establishing the African air giant for versatility in both short and long-haul operations.

While other national African airlines like Air Zimbabwe, Nigeria Air and South African Airlines are struggling for viability, Ethiopian Airlines has been flying high and stands out as an example of efficiency and global competitiveness potential in Africa.