# Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport (BUQ)

> Bulawayo, ZW · IATA: BUQ · ICAO: FVJN · Medium Airport · Cargo Hub

## Quick Facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| IATA | `BUQ` |
| ICAO | `FVJN` |
| City | Bulawayo |
| Country | ZW |
| Type | Medium Airport |
| Elevation | 1329 m |
| Cargo | ✅ |
| GPS | -20.02125, 28.62630 |

## Description

Operated within Zimbabwe's Airports Company network and served on the ground by BidAir Cargo, Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport (BUQ) is the air-freight point for Bulawayo, the country's second city and industrial base. Named after nationalist leader Joshua Nkomo, it lies about 15 km north of the city. Its cargo facilities are genuine — mechanical handling, a bonded warehouse and a customs presence — setting it apart from Zimbabwe's tourism strips. Most freight moves in the belly-holds of Fastjet and Airlink passenger services; dedicated freighters are rare and tonnage figures are not officially published. Bulawayo's manufacturing heritage in steel, textiles and rail engineering keeps modest but steady demand for air cargo, complemented by the rail corridor south to South Africa via Beitbridge. For larger consignments, shippers often pair BUQ with the heavier volumes handled at Harare. The city's place on the historic Cape-to-Cairo railway has long made it a transhipment centre for the south-west.

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*Freight Academy — Airport Profile: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/joshua-mqabuko-nkomo-international-airport-buq](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/joshua-mqabuko-nkomo-international-airport-buq)*

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