A Fastjet plane flying from Harare was forced to abort landing in Bulawayo Tuesday morning due to foggy weather.
The Embraer ERJ145 aircraft, which was due to touch down at 6.50 am, was forced to turn back to Harare.
Explaining the failed landing, Fastjet spokesman Nunurai Ndawana said:
The weather conditions were below the required minimum for a landing.
With safety being our top priority, our standard procedure to divert was put into effect and returned to Harare.
The aircraft however took off a second time from Harare and landed safely at Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport shortly after 11 am.
The failed landing caused disruption to dozens of passengers and its own flight schedule.
Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport manager Passmore Dewa said he was attending a meeting in Harare, but told ZimLive that the incident was a “normal weather problem”.
Airports in Zimbabwe have had some issues due to outdated infrastructure, limited international flights, lack of investment, security concerns, and flight cancellations by some airlines.
However, the government is taking steps to improve the situation, including upgrading infrastructure and signing agreements to increase international flights.
According to ZimLive, Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Airport in Bulawayo does not have an instrument landing system (ILS) – a navigation tool used by pilots to help guide the plane when landing in low visibility conditions.
ILS works by sending radio signals to the aircraft, providing both horizontal and vertical guidance to help the pilot align the plane with the runway and control its altitude and descent rate during landing.