By Nyasha Chuma
HARARE — Domestic check-in operations officially resumed at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport this week, marking the full operationalization of the facility’s newly rehabilitated domestic terminal.
The reopening brings to a close a major modernization phase that began in January 2024. The infrastructure overhaul forms part of a massive US$153 million upgrade project financed and engineered to position Zimbabwe as a premier regional aviation and transit hub.
Prior to the modernization efforts, the airport operated with severe capacity bottlenecks, handling roughly 2.5 million passengers annually.
With the completion of both the international and domestic sections, the facility’s handling capacity has expanded to approximately six million passengers per year.
The comprehensive modernization program also introduced cutting-edge airport infrastructure, including four new aerobridges with one engineered specifically to accommodate massive aircraft like the Airbus A380, alongside four modern baggage carousels designed to streamline passenger flow and ground handling efficiency.
Major regional carriers, including Air Zimbabwe, transitioned their domestic check-in procedures back to the upgraded terminal immediately following its launch.
