Zambia Airports Corporation Limited (ZACL), in its effort to upgrade the four international airports in Zambia, has awarded a tender to National Aviation Services (NAS) (www.NAS.aero) and NAC2000 Corporation to operate an airport lounge in the new terminal at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (KKIA) in Lusaka, Zambia.
According to the company statement released to the media by APO Group on behalf of National Aviation Services (NAS), the airport is the largest in Zambia and has plans to serve as a hub for the region. Currently, the airport has a capacity of two million passengers per annum, which is expected to increase once commissioned, to between 4.2 to six million over a period of time. The state-of-the-art terminal is scheduled for commissioning around August this year.
Leading international airlines including Proflight Zambia, Air Tanzania, Rwanda Air, SA Airlink, Ethiopian Airlines, Emirates, CemAir, and KLM in partnership with Kenya Airways operate out of this airport. The national carrier, Zambia Airways once operational will fly from this airport as well. Other airlines are also expected to open routes into Zambia to tap into this growing market in the coming future.
The tender issued by Zambia Airports Corporation Limited (ZACL), is a part of its effort to upgrade the four international airports in the country. ZACL has committed US$360 million for the ongoing expansion at KKIA.
National Aviation Services (NAS) is a leading airport services provider in emerging markets while NAC2000 Corporation is a key ground services company in Zambia. The five-year tender includes building a 588 square meter exclusive departure lounge that will cater to all passengers travelling out of the airport in Lusaka. The lounge will offer a comfortable space for passengers to relax, enjoy a meal, or catch up on last-minute work before boarding their flight. The new Pearl Lounge will be part of more than 50 lounges operated by NAS across its network in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia.
Hassan El-Houry, Group CEO of NAS said, “We are proud to be trusted by ZACL for the first exclusive lounge at the new terminal in Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka. With the airport being the largest in the country, we will be serving at a hub for both domestic and international passengers travelling out of the country. Utilizing our lounge development and management experience, we look forward to delivering a lounge that will be on par with international standards around the globe.”
Offering ground handling to over 100 airline customers and operating lounges in more than 50 airports, NAS’s portfolio of services also includes comprehensive ground handling services, meet and assist, cargo management, airport technologies, fixed base operations, terminal management, aviation training and travel solutions. With its affiliation with leading industry organizations, NAS follows international aviation standards with certifications from ISO, EMS, RA3 and OHSAS practices.
One of the first ground handlers in the world to obtain the IATA’s Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) certification, NAS continues to pursue it in each of its stations, illustrating the company’s commitment to providing high-quality services, with a focus on safety and security. With over 8,000 employees of 65 different nationalities at the core of its worldwide network, NAS is also committed to investing into the development of infrastructure, equipment, technology and human capital of its expanding geographies.
Jonathan Lewis, Managing Director of NAC2000 Corporation highlighted, “We are excited to work with ZACL and proud be the local partner with NAS, global experts in the airport lounge sector, to deliver a world-class facility the new KKIA”.
NAC2000 Corporation is the only ISAGO registered and certified ground services provider in Zambia. A Zambian company, it has been in operation for more than 20 years at all the international airports supporting airlines as well as ad hoc operators. The business, focussed on ground handling, warehousing, and cold storage, continues to evolve, becoming an industry leader in the service of support logistics relating to the movement of cargo and passengers.
National Aviation Services (NAS) is the fastest growing aviation services provider in the emerging markets. Established in 2003, NAS quickly transformed from a Kuwait based ground-handling company into an emerging markets leader in the industry. NAS is present in over 50 airports across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, handling seven of the world’s top 10 airlines and managing more than 50 airport lounges.
With an employee base of over 8,000 capable and experienced employees at the core of its worldwide network, NAS is committed to providing aviation services that benchmark to the best in the world.
The NAS portfolio of services includes ramp and passenger services, cargo management, engineering and line maintenance, airport technologies, fixed base operations, terminal management, aviation training, travel solutions, lounge management and meet-and-assist packages.
Affiliated with leading industry organizations, NAS follows international aviation standards with certifications from ISO, EMS, RA3 and OHSAS practices. NAS is one of the first ground handlers in the world to obtain the IATA’s Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) certification illustrating the company’s commitment to providing high quality services, with a focus on safety and security.
Is Zambia Airports Corporation a new company? Or has it been transformed from National Airports Corporation Ltd? Who owns it? I hope it’s not the Chinese on a 65yrs lease. Some of these loans we got lack details and transparency
Too much irrelevant information in one article…question is who is this company and how many bidders participated? And they have not committed any $360m its a Chinese loan.
This is commendable as seen in other airports but we need to go further and create more services and locations of economic zones that will fit in the Global value chains We need to see more Special economic Zones around logistics and transport The airport in itself must not be seen as a beautiful or wonderful of infrastructure These airports must attract services and industries around the special economic Zones and realize the Investments made in those to contribute to economic sectors of the country Having build the airports now create industries and services around those airports to contribute towards economic development and performance
This is commendable as seen in other airports but we need to go further and create more services and locations of economic zones that will fit in the Global value chains We need to see more Special economic Zones around logistics and transport The airport in itself must not be seen as a beautiful or wonderful of infrastructure These airports must attract services and industries around the special economic Zones and realize the Investments made in those to contribute to economic sectors of the country Having build the airports now create industries and services around those airports to contribute towards economic development and performance
#1: The name was changed to ZACL in 2014 from NAC .
WILL MAKE NO DIFFERENCE TO THE ELECTION OUTCOME
WHICH IS PF PLAN ACCORDING TO SCOUCES
@Kubeja, understood
As a shareholder, zangena
So what about the millions already paid to the Chinese?
These people have no quality standards to be able to run this facility to international standards. As a regular traveler, we endured the most uncomfortable exit at the current international departure lounge for years. I was too hot during summer, or extremely cold during winter for late night or early morning departures. The toilets didn’t work properly and it was not unusual to find buckets with dirty water in toilets, presumably from previous cleaning. A simple thing like decanting and filling them up with clean water was too much for them. The foodcourts, general ambience of the airport was dry and boring with poor or no free WiFi as is common in international airports. So, as usual, we repeat the same mistakes that keep this country backward and mediocre. New building. Old habits.
Zambians can not even manage a lounge foreigners have to do it
Wonder how much the bribe was to get the contract!!!!
Let the people with experience manage the thing. Did you know that Gatwick Airport and three others, including City Airport in the UK are owned by a Nigerian? These are serious people, not tu kawalala tu bene KZ. Mambala iwe we coming for you.
Indeed the facilities are pathetic! They’re just good at allocation of spaces for tuntemba. How can we have such toilets at an international airport? NAC2000 is more in freight forwarding and clearing, I doubt if they have any bonded warehouse. I think ZEGA has. Anyway I wish them well, I hope they will meet the benchmarks and improve
Let them tell us how it was awarded to them.When is our airline flying in partnership with
Ethiopians?We have so many priorities then investing in airlines
In these Corvid times.
Some airport services and maintenance can be outsource to companies including some airport ground services for improved standards service, quality and reliability We have seen world class companies running cargo and facilities companies like Menzies Conair Swissport and others as seen at London 3 airports located 50 kilometers apart proving services to surrounding centers of special economic zones in trades and services linking global cities and locations in value chains
We expect the Ndola Livingstone and others to realize their unique economic absolute comparative advantages to locations potential economic activities that will significantly add to job creation and…
Its important also as you add capacity and lines to read the energy Transitions to accelerate least cost and faster more reliable long-term solutions to energy access As more GW of power is commissioned and made available to people the cost per customer connected should be seen to fall below competitive prices reflecting the pro poor approach and orientations of the GRZ towards increased access and connectivity Being pro poor and productivity oriented is what will be helpful to Zambians in the electrifications and access programs in the new strategic plans 2021 to 2026
Napthali @16, what are you talking about?
@ 17