Zambia Airports Corporation Limited has disclosed that it served 482,400 general passengers in the first quarter of 2024, representing an increase of 20% when compared to 403,478 passengers recorded during the same period last year.
Company Communications and Brand Manager Mweembe Sikaulu says this also represents a recovery to pre covid-19 levels of 119% when compared to the 404,581 passengers recorded in 2019.
Ms Sikaulu explains that the highest recovery rate was at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport-KKIA- at 133% recovery and the least was at Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport at 71% recovery.
She says international passengers recovered by 116% with KKIA recording the highest recovery of 133% while Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula international airport which mainly serves the tourism industry continued with a slow pace to recovery at only 55%, an increase of 8 percentage points when compared to the same period in 2023.
Ms Sikaulu says the notable increase in international passenger numbers was attributed to various events with many taking place in march 2024, among them the hosting of the extraordinary summit of the organ troika.
PHOENIX NEWS