A Botswana-based charter and scheduled flight operator, founded in 1994 by the Mackay couple in Maun with a single Cessna 206, headquartered at Maun International Airport with an operating base in Harare, Zimbabwe. In 2019 the company became the first privately owned commercial operator in Botswana to be granted an international scheduled air service licence. Public sources list 22 aircraft in service, built around the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX, handling supply cargo for camps and other remote locations, charter flights and medical evacuation, with access to more than 70 airstrips in Botswana. No direct cargo flights between mainland China and Botswana are published, so Chinese cargo usually transits a southern African hub such as Johannesburg to Maun or Gaborone before entering the network.
Chinese-language service provider: Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited, handling booking, customs declaration and end-to-end logistics for international air freight, on routes from China to Africa and all major continents.
Mack Air (ICAO three-letter code MKB, radio call sign GREENTAIL) is a Botswana-based air carrier founded in 1994 by the Mackay couple in Maun with a single Cessna 206 single-engine aircraft. The head office is in Hangars 4 and 5 at Maun International Airport, and the company keeps an operating base in Harare, Zimbabwe. No IATA two-letter code is listed in public sources; the carrier identifier uses the ICAO three-letter code.
The business has 2 parts, charters and scheduled flights. Charters cover private and business flights, transfers between camps, Delta scenic flights, medical evacuation and supply runs to remote locations; scheduled flights connect the main tourist gateways. In 2019 the company became the first privately owned commercial operator in Botswana to be granted an international scheduled air service licence, with publicly listed scheduled points including Kasane and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, plus routings linking Gaborone, Maun, Windhoek, Kasane and Victoria Falls.
The company has deep experience supporting cargo at remote locations. Public sources list access to more than 70 airstrips in Botswana and 37 in Zimbabwe, with camps served numbering more than 100 in Botswana and about 70 in Zimbabwe. Supplies, fuel, equipment and spares moved between camps are carried by light aircraft, for small consignments to places with no road access or limited road access, which is exactly where light aviation applies. In 2017 the company took delivery of 10 new Cessna 208 Grand Caravan EX aircraft, markedly enlarging the fleet.
On China-related records, no public source lists routes to mainland China or Hong Kong, nor an own office in China. No direct cargo flights between mainland China and Botswana are published. The usual route for Chinese cargo into Botswana is a domestic airport to a southern African hub, then local capacity to Maun or Gaborone, and finally the company and its local ground agents distribute within Botswana and to remote locations in neighbouring countries.
| Airline | Mack Air |
| Company type | Charter and scheduled flight operator (cargo carried by light aircraft) |
| Country | Botswana |
| Global headquarters | Maun, Botswana, Maun International Airport |
| Hub airport | Maun International Airport (MUB/FBMN); Harare base in Zimbabwe |
| Founded | 1994 |
| IATA two-letter code | No public IATA two-letter code is available; the carrier is identified by its ICAO three-letter code |
| ICAO three-letter code | MKB |
| Radio call sign | GREENTAIL |
| Air waybill prefix | No publicly available information that can be cross-checked |
| Official lookup website | flymackair.com; also mackair.co.bw |
| Cargo aircraft | 22 aircraft listed in public sources, including 18 Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX, 2 GA-8 Airvan, 1 Beechcraft Super King Air 200 and 1 Cessna 210 |
| China services | No China routes or directly owned China office are publicly listed |
The information above is compiled from public sources. Fleet size and destination coverage may change with operational needs, so check the carrier's latest publication.
Publicly listed services include supply transport to camps and sites, covering food, consumables, fuel, equipment and spares for remote locations with limited or no road access.
Publicly listed scheduled points include Kasane and Victoria Falls; cargo on those flights is carried on the same aircraft under combined passenger and cargo weight and balance limits, so available margin must be calculated per consignment.
Capacity can be chartered for a whole flight for project materials, exploration and engineering equipment, medical evacuation and emergency supplies. Loading on light aircraft is constrained by door dimensions and must be checked piece by piece.
Public sources list access to more than 70 airstrips in Botswana and 37 in Zimbabwe, most with unpaved surfaces, suited to light single-engine and twin turboprop types.
Capacity note: the fleet consists of light single- and twin-engine types with limited per-aircraft payload, and cargo shares weight and balance limits with passengers, so it suits small consignments in many batches to scattered destinations. For Chinese cargo destined for Botswana the trunk leg is flown by larger transport aircraft, and the company's types take over only for distribution to remote locations inside Botswana. Whether to ship by consignment or charter a whole aircraft depends on volume, piece count and destination airfield conditions.
The Mack Air fleet is built around the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX, a single-engine turboprop with a high wing and fixed landing gear that can operate from short unpaved runways and is one of the most widely used types in southern African tourism and remote-area transport. Public sources list 22 aircraft in service, including 18 Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX, making the company the second-largest operator of the type worldwide, plus 2 GA-8 Airvan single-engine piston aircraft, 1 Beechcraft Super King Air 200 twin turboprop and 1 Cessna 210 single-engine piston aircraft. Public sources also list a Cessna Citation M2 business jet based at Lanseria Airport, Johannesburg, for business and VIP charters. The company took delivery of 10 new Grand Caravan EX aircraft in 2017, so the fleet is mainly of recent build, with maintenance provided by a partner MRO.
| Aircraft type | Number | Category | Platform characteristics (public reference values) | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX | 18 aircraft | Single-engine turboprop | High wing and fixed landing gear, operates from short unpaved strips, convertible between passenger and cargo layouts | Camp supply, transfers and scheduled flights |
| GA-8 Airvan | 2 aircraft | Single-engine piston | High wing and fixed landing gear, larger cabin volume with a lighter payload | Short transfers and sightseeing flights |
| Beechcraft Super King Air 200 | 1 aircraft | Twin-engine turboprop | Pressurised cabin, higher sector speed and range than single-engine types | Business charters and longer sectors |
| Cessna 210 | 1 aircraft | Single-engine piston | Retractable landing gear, suited to short point-to-point flights | Short transfers and survey flights |
| Cessna Citation M2 | 1 aircraft (listed in public sources, based in Johannesburg) | Twin-engine business jet | Light business jet used for business and VIP charters | Business charters |
The table is compiled from public sources; platform figures are published reference values for the aircraft type and do not equal the cargo that can be carried on a given flight. Actual acceptable volume depends on passengers carried, fuel, sector length, surface conditions and weight and balance limits, and is subject to the carrier's calculation for that flight.
The chart compares aircraft numbers in service, showing a fleet built around the Grand Caravan EX with other types filling specific roles.
| Cargo types handled | Camp and site supplies, equipment and spares, medicines and medical supplies, mail and express parcels, exploration and engineering consumables |
| Suitable shipment sizes | Small, frequent consignments to scattered destinations, where piece weight and size are limited by the cabin door |
| Temperature-controlled cargo types | Public sources do not list a separate temperature-controlled zone, so each shipment must be confirmed individually |
| Runway suitability | Suited to short unpaved runways and airstrips; public sources list access to more than 70 airstrips in Botswana and 37 in Zimbabwe |
| Capacity per flight | Payload per aircraft is limited and shared with the passenger weight and balance limits, so each shipment is calculated individually; full-aircraft charters are costed by aircraft type |
| Out-of-gauge cargo | Cargo beyond the cabin door dimensions or piece weight cannot be loaded; provide pieces, weight and dimensions in advance for carrier review |
The chart shows the number of airstrips and camps the company lists publicly. Airstrip count sets the reachable area and camp count reflects the density of supply demand; together they form the operating base for remote-area cargo.
Public sources show no routes operated by the company to mainland China or Hong Kong, and no directly owned office in China. No direct cargo flights between mainland China and Botswana are publicly listed.No public information availableCargo from China normally transits via a Southern African hub to Maun or Gaborone before connecting to the airline's network.
The head office and main base are at Maun International Airport (MUB/FBMN), inside the Maun urban area and the main gateway for air transport towards the Okavango Delta, with 46,856 aircraft movements in the 2023-2024 financial year, the highest of any airport in Botswana. Operations towards Zimbabwe are based in Harare.
Publicly listed scheduled points include Kasane and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, plus routings linking Gaborone, Maun, Windhoek, Kasane and Victoria Falls. Charters can cover more than 70 airstrips in Botswana and 37 in Zimbabwe, with camps served numbering more than 100 in Botswana.
| Destinations | Airport code | Country | Service type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maun | MUB | Botswana | Main operating base and the consolidation point for the Okavango Delta |
| Kasane | BBK | Botswana | Scheduled point, recognised as an international airport |
| Gaborone | GBE | Botswana | Connection points listed in published sources |
| Victoria Falls | VFA | Zimbabwe | Scheduled point; capacity provided to other carriers by wet lease |
| Harare | HRE | Zimbabwe | Operating base for Zimbabwe |
| Windhoek | WDH | Namibia | Connection points listed in published sources |
| Delta camp cluster | — | Botswana | Charter and supply sectors, operating from airstrips |
| Zimbabwe airstrips | — | Zimbabwe | Charter and supply sectors; 37 airstrips listed publicly |
| Mainland China and Hong Kong | — | China | No public information on freight flights |
Destination details are compiled from public sources and times are local. Airstrip operations depend on the season, surface moisture and daylight conditions; charter sectors have no fixed schedule and are subject to carrier confirmation on the day of booking.
The company does not operate China routes, so Chinese cargo enters Botswana in 2 stages: the first leg from a Chinese origin airport via a southern African hub to Maun or Gaborone, and the second handled by the company and local ground agents between airstrips in Botswana and towards Zimbabwe. The value of this structure lies at the final stage, breaking a consolidated lot that arrives at Maun down to remote locations with limited road access.
Operational note:For transport to South Africa and East Africa we match capacity with the main carriers on the relevant routes. Cargo destined for remote locations in Botswana should have the final airport and individual piece dimensions confirmed at the booking stage so the carrier can assign aircraft type and sector; we quote as one price and handle customs clearance and handover between legs.
| Corporate headquarters | Hangars 4 and 5, Maun International Airport, Botswana |
| Postal address | Private Bag 329, Maun Airport |
| Company telephone | +267 6860675 |
| Business email | zimres@flymackair.com (business contact for Zimbabwe) |
| Official website | flymackair.com; also mackair.co.bw |
| Engineering support | Provided by a partner MRO; public sources name Absolute Aviation as the partner |
| China contact | No China office is publicly listed. Contact the airline's local agent in China, or ask us to coordinate on your behalf.No public information available |
| Information note | Contact details and office hours may change, so check the carrier's latest publication before handover |
The company has no publicly listed own office in China, so Chinese shippers cannot easily book with the carrier directly from within the country. A local Chinese agent can book and clear the trunk leg and coordinate with the Botswana agent for the distribution sectors to the final airstrips. A forwarder familiar with African lanes coordinates the whole job, with the main value in the following points:
Public sources list access to more than 70 airstrips in Botswana and 37 in Zimbabwe, so cargo can go directly to camps and project sites with no road access or limited road access.
The fleet spans single-engine turboprop, single-engine piston and twin turboprop types, so aircraft can be chosen by volume, sector length and surface conditions instead of using a large aircraft for small final-leg loads.
Publicly listed scheduled points include Kasane and Victoria Falls and provide a steady lane for regular batches, while charters cover jobs whose timing and location vary; the 2 forms can be combined.
In 2019 the company became the first privately owned commercial operator in Botswana to be granted an international scheduled air service licence, giving it the standing to run cross-border sectors on a scheduled basis without applying each time.
Public sources list more than 170 employees, including 65 pilots, and more than 110,000 passengers a year, with maintenance provided by a partner MRO, a relatively steady day-to-day operation.
The fleet is mainly light single-engine aircraftLimited capacity, with limited per-aircraft payload shared with passenger weight and balance limits, so large trunk cargo cannot be carried; door dimensions and unpaved surface conditions further limit the size and timing of what can be loaded.
Limits of application: the company's strengths lie in final distribution in northern Botswana and towards Zimbabwe, and in supply transport in small batches, many shipments and scattered destinations. For volume cargo destined for Botswana we normally use other carriers for the trunk leg from China to a southern African or East African hub, with the company and local agents covering the sectors beyond Maun or Gaborone, priced sector by sector.
Published statistics show 46,856 aircraft movements at Maun in the 2023-2024 financial year, the highest of any airport in Botswana and ahead of Kasane with 11,127 and Gaborone with 10,548; passenger throughput is about 36.8% of the national total. The airport sits within Maun town, is the main air transport hub for the Okavango Delta and is where the company's fleet and crews are based.
Most airstrips in northern Botswana and towards Zimbabwe have unpaved surfaces and operating conditions vary with season and rainfall, with load-bearing capacity reduced on some strips in the rainy season; most also lack night operations, so flying is concentrated in daylight. Cargo plans must allow time for weather and operating-window changes, and urgent batches should include a backup airfield in the plan.
No direct cargo flights between mainland China and Botswana are published, and Botswana has no published scheduled freighter service, so air cargo moves mainly in the belly space of scheduled passenger flights. Chinese origin cargo usually goes from a domestic airport to Johannesburg and then by road or short-haul flight to Maun or Gaborone; transfer to airstrips at the final stage is handled by the light aircraft fleet.
Public statistics put 2024 two-way trade between China and Botswana at USD 1.01 billion, up 42.1% year on year, of which Chinese exports were USD 240 million, mainly machinery and electrical products, steel products and furniture, and Chinese imports from Botswana were USD 770 million, mainly diamonds and copper ore. Chinese cargo arriving towards Maun is mainly engineering and camp supplies, and piece dimensions and weight must match aircraft door limits.
After booking confirmation, submit the air waybill consignee details, commercial invoice and packing list as the carrier requires. For cargo delivered to an airstrip, state the strip name and operating window in the plan and confirm the consignee can unload and move cargo locally; our quotation itemizes export clearance at origin, mainline air freight, the final sector and delivery at destination.
No public source lists sales offices outside Botswana and Zimbabwe, and business contacts centre on the 2 bases. Contact details, scheduled points and charter capacity may change, so Chinese shippers should check the channel in force through the carrier's official channels or with us before delivery, to avoid disruption from changed information.
Mack Air is a Botswana-based charter and scheduled flight operator founded in Maun in 1994, with its head office and main base at Maun International Airport and a base in Harare, Zimbabwe. Its light aircraft fleet handles camp supply, charters, scenic flights and medical evacuation, and in 2019 it was granted an international scheduled air service licence.
Public sources list the ICAO three-letter code as MKB and the radio call sign as GREENTAIL; no cross-checkable public information is available for the IATA two-letter code, air waybill prefix or settlement code. The base airport code is MUB and the ICAO airport code is FBMN. Codes and settlement details in force should be checked with the carrier or an authorised agent before booking.
Public sources show no routes operated by the company to mainland China or Hong Kong, and no directly owned China office. No direct cargo flights between mainland China and Botswana are publicly listed. Chinese shippers can contact its local agent in China or ask us to coordinate.
The company does not operate China routes, so no schedule or aircraft assignment data exists for China flights. Once Chinese origin cargo reaches Maun or Gaborone, onward transport to Delta camps and airstrips can be handled by the company with Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX and similar types; schedules vary with season and operating conditions and are subject to carrier confirmation on the day of booking.
Public sources list 22 aircraft in service: 18 Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX, 2 GA-8 Airvan, 1 each of Beechcraft Super King Air 200 and Cessna 210, plus a Cessna Citation M2 business jet based in Johannesburg. The fleet is mainly light single-engine aircraft with limited per-aircraft payload, so available capacity must be calculated per consignment.
Final distribution is arranged by batch and destination: several camps in the same area can be served on one flight, and urgent batches can take a full-aircraft charter; landing sites must be checked for surface condition and size. For batches delivered to an airstrip, confirm the day's operating conditions and unloading arrangements with the carrier in advance.
Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited, based in Shenzhen, China, specialises in international air freight between China and Africa and all major world markets. We design air freight plans for Botswana and southern Africa, with uplift from major Chinese airports, transit through Johannesburg or Addis Ababa to Maun or Gaborone, and connection to the Mack Air light aircraft fleet for distribution to final airstrips, covering enquiry, customs clearance, air freight, import clearance and delivery. Transport plans and quotations are available on request.
Disclaimer:Prepared by Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited (Goodhope Freight). Airline names, codes, trademarks and brand marks mentioned here belong to their respective owners. We are an independent international freight forwarder and have no affiliation, agency or investment relationship with this airline. The information is compiled from public sources for reference only and does not form a contract of carriage or a service commitment. Space, rates and schedules are subject to actual confirmation by the carrier or its authorized agent on the day of booking.