By ADRIAN MWANZA
FORMER Transport and Communications minister, Brian Mushimba has defended the new plane acquired by Zambia Airways, saying that it was fuel efficient and fits the Zambian environment.
This follows a public uproar over the bombardier 2 400 plane with suggestions that it is old fashioned.
Dr Mushimba, who was in office at the time the contract for the purchase of the planes was awarded, however expressed disappoint that the new dawn government was quiet over the public concerns when it was well aware why the Bombardier was selected.
He said the Bombardier would only be for domestic routes and that government had paid US$5million for a bigger plane that would service the international routes.
“There is need for government to educate Zambians that the plane acquired is best suited for Zambia because bombardier 2 400 is efficient in terms of fuel consumption,” Dr Mushimba said.
“The plane is about 10 years but has some years left in it and it will service the local market just fine,” he said.
Dr Mushimba said the firm would start small but improve by getting bigger planes like the Boeing and even the Airbus to service international routes.
He said there was need to cultivate the local market before going international and the plane was what was needed to achieve that feat.
Dr Mushimba said the public need not worry because the plane was up to the task as it was one of the best in the category.
“I understand the uproar from the public but the plane is a very good fuel efficient plane which is agile and fit for the Zambian market.
He said with time the firm will have a huge fleet of planes that would be both global and international.
He said the onus was on government to explain to Zambians why they had settled for the plane because there was a misconception.
