Business / Companies
Air Zimbabwe to resume regional, international flights
29 Aug 2013 at 05:01hrs | Views
AIR ZIMBABWE says it is targeting to resume flights to regional and international destinations before the end of this year.
The airline suspended regional and international flights two years ago after incurring huge debts with service providers, one of whom impounded its plane at Gatwick Airport in London.
Air Zimbabwe spokesperson Ms Shingai Taruvinga said that customers had impressed on the airline the need to reintroduce flights to the suspended routes.
"We are picking up in terms of business and we will eventually reclaim all our routes," she said.
"We are planning to re-launch all the routes that we had before like Lusaka, Lilongwe, Dar es Salaam, Durban, London and China," she said.
Ms Taruvinga said Air Zimbabwe was also working to beef up its fleet as part of a turnaround strategy and also in order to cope with increasing demand.
"We are planning to increase our fleet as funding permits," she said.
Early this year, Air Zimbabwe resumed daily flights to Victoria Falls, Bulawayo and Johannesburg after it bought two Airbuses.
The airline is trying to restore its viability following years of decline.
A promotion of reduced airfares which ends on September 30 this year has assisted in boosting customers' confidence.
"The response to our promotion has been very good. Our flights are flying 80 percent full and at times 90 percent full," said Ms Taruvinga.
The national carrier managed to retire part of its debt mostly to South African creditors and also regained its IATA membership which had been suspended over failure to conduct regular performance audits.
Air Zimbabwe is one of 10 parastatals the Government has earmarked for privatisation to restore viability.
The airline suspended regional and international flights two years ago after incurring huge debts with service providers, one of whom impounded its plane at Gatwick Airport in London.
Air Zimbabwe spokesperson Ms Shingai Taruvinga said that customers had impressed on the airline the need to reintroduce flights to the suspended routes.
"We are picking up in terms of business and we will eventually reclaim all our routes," she said.
"We are planning to re-launch all the routes that we had before like Lusaka, Lilongwe, Dar es Salaam, Durban, London and China," she said.
Ms Taruvinga said Air Zimbabwe was also working to beef up its fleet as part of a turnaround strategy and also in order to cope with increasing demand.
"We are planning to increase our fleet as funding permits," she said.
Early this year, Air Zimbabwe resumed daily flights to Victoria Falls, Bulawayo and Johannesburg after it bought two Airbuses.
The airline is trying to restore its viability following years of decline.
A promotion of reduced airfares which ends on September 30 this year has assisted in boosting customers' confidence.
"The response to our promotion has been very good. Our flights are flying 80 percent full and at times 90 percent full," said Ms Taruvinga.
The national carrier managed to retire part of its debt mostly to South African creditors and also regained its IATA membership which had been suspended over failure to conduct regular performance audits.
Air Zimbabwe is one of 10 parastatals the Government has earmarked for privatisation to restore viability.
Source - New Ziana
