Zambia Airways – Great Business Class Product, Disappointing Economy Class Experience!

• Airline: Zambia Airways
• Class: Business & Economy Class
• Route: Johannesburg (JNB) to Lusaka (LUN) & Lusaka (LUN) to Nairobi (NBO)
• Aircraft: Boeing 737-700

Today we are experiencing some real airport drama because nobody seems to know where Zambia Airways is flying! But we’re also immersing ourselves in a real African aviation adventure, showcasing the good, the huge, and the down-right unfriendly of Zambia’s national carrier.

The plan? Fly from Johannesburg to Lusaka, explore the town for a night, and then head onwards to Kenya the next morning to review both Business and Economy class. Let’s dive right in!

I arrived bright and early at O.R. Tambo International Airport to fly airline number 260! Can you believe that? 260 airlines experienced over the years.

Check-in was probably the most energetic experience I’ve had in a long time—pure African spirit and fantastic vibes. But then the ghost flight mystery began. The flight wasn’t showing up on any of the departure boards. According to my boarding pass, we were supposed to be at Gate A1, but after running across the terminal, there was nobody there!

It turns out the aircraft pulled up to a remote stand on the complete opposite side of the airport. After convincing the staff to call the gate so they wouldn’t leave passengers behind, we finally hopped on the bus!

Business Class: Johannesburg to Lusaka ($530)

Boarding our 23-year-old Boeing 737-700 (originally delivered to Ethiopian Airlines, who owns a 50% stake in Zambia Airways), I stepped into the Business Class cabin. And guess what? I had the entire 16-seat cabin to myself! Talk about a private jet feeling for $530.

Here is what you get on a short 90-minute hop:

• Pre-Departure Drink: A massive, full glass of orange juice served in an actual oversized wine glass. I’ve never gotten a wine glass this size on a flight before!
• The Catering: This was unbelievable. The flight attendant offered me four different main dish choices—fish, beef, chicken with potatoes, or chicken with rice! Tell me one airline on a 90-minute flight that gives you that kind of choice.
• The Portion: Everything comes in extra sizes here! A humongous plate of chicken and rice, a side salad, dessert, a massive bread selection, and instead of a tiny can of Coke, she handed me a full half-liter bottle of Coca-Cola.

The cabin was spotlessly clean, and the crew were super proud to represent their flag carrier. A 10 out of 10 experience!

Exploring Lusaka & The Hotel

After touching down in Lusaka and paying 600 Kwacha (~$30 USD) for a taxi to the city center, I checked into the Protea Hotel.

Honestly, Zambia surprised me so much. From all the countries I’ve visited in Africa, Zambia feels like one of the most civilized and welcoming. Nobody bothers you, nobody asks for bribes, the malls are clean, and everyone is incredibly kind. Hey Zambia, you’ve got a new fan!

Economy Class: Lusaka to Nairobi

After a 4:00 AM wake-up call, we were back at Lusaka Airport. There was a bit of a plot twist: our flight was supposed to be on their Dash-8, but it was swapped back to the 737. That meant I got to review Economy Class on the exact same aircraft.

And wow… what a complete disaster.

Congratulations to the Zambia Airways HR recruitment department for finding the three most unfriendliest people in the friendliest country in Africa!

• The Crew: As soon as I walked into Economy, I was hit with bad attitudes, zero smiles, no hellos, and borderline rude behavior.
• Cleanliness & Safety: The back of the plane was filthy. The windows hadn’t been wiped in ages. To make matters worse, the crew performed zero safety checks. The guy in front of me stayed fully reclined for the entire takeoff, and people were blatantly using their phones during climb-out!

The hot breakfast served was okay, but the attitude in the cabin ruined the whole experience.

The Verdict

Zambia Airways is a total mixed bag. On one hand, you have a phenomenal Business Class product with massive portions and incredible short-haul service. On the other hand, their Economy Class crew standards and aircraft cleanliness are a complete letdown.

There are so many wonderful, hospitable people in Zambia who would love to represent their country in the air, the airline seriously needs to rethink how they recruit their cabin crew.

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This is it guys, wherever you’re off to, have a safe trip!