Business / Companies
Air Zimbabwe set to resume international flights
30 May 2014 at 06:42hrs | Views
Air Zimbabwe may resume international flights after the airline was readmitted into the International Air Transport Association following a successful safety audit.
The national airline was de-registered from the IOSA International Operational Safety Audit programme certification in September 2012 after failing IOSA's assessment subsequent to a brief halt of business because of an industrial strike.
On Wednesday, the Air Zimbabwe board unveiled the airline's IOSA re-registration certificate.
Transport and Infrastructural Development ministry permanent secretary Munesu Munodawafa said the audit took place in February.
"This achievement is a result of a successful IOSA re-registration audit that was conducted by IATA through one of its accredited audit organisations."
The readmission means the airline has met all safety standards as per IATA requirements ensuring passenger and employee safety in line with aviation safety in the conduct of all its operations.
This is the fourth successive IOSA for Air Zimbabwe since it was mandated as a prerequisite for IATA membership in 2008.
Munodawafa said acquiring the certification has put the nation in an elite group of airlines in Sub-Saharan Africa.
"As an IOSA registered airline Air Zimbabwe has demonstrated compliance with the highest global safety standards and becomes one of the 25 airlines in Sub-Saharan Africa that are on the IOSA registry," he said.
He said the benefits ensure the safety and attractiveness of the airline to potential investors and passengers.
"The benefits of IOSA are varied and unlimited for the passenger, the airline and the nation at large. Our passengers will continue to enjoy Zimbabwe's hospitable skies while the economy opens its belly to more investors who by nature prioritise safety," he said.
He added that the tourism industry will also benefit from the development in the national airline. "The tourism industry which enjoys the aviation's multiplier effect will benefit immensely from this development as world travellers of the 21st century are safety conscious and their choices are guided by international standards like IOSA" he said.
The principal director in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development Valentine Sinemani said:
"Air Zimbabwe is redefining its static context in terms of its relevance and rebooting its value. Our national airline represents the greatest opportunity of a turnaround of a nation in the skies because we know there is a derived relationship between national performance and national aviation development."
The national airline was de-registered from the IOSA International Operational Safety Audit programme certification in September 2012 after failing IOSA's assessment subsequent to a brief halt of business because of an industrial strike.
On Wednesday, the Air Zimbabwe board unveiled the airline's IOSA re-registration certificate.
Transport and Infrastructural Development ministry permanent secretary Munesu Munodawafa said the audit took place in February.
"This achievement is a result of a successful IOSA re-registration audit that was conducted by IATA through one of its accredited audit organisations."
The readmission means the airline has met all safety standards as per IATA requirements ensuring passenger and employee safety in line with aviation safety in the conduct of all its operations.
This is the fourth successive IOSA for Air Zimbabwe since it was mandated as a prerequisite for IATA membership in 2008.
Munodawafa said acquiring the certification has put the nation in an elite group of airlines in Sub-Saharan Africa.
"As an IOSA registered airline Air Zimbabwe has demonstrated compliance with the highest global safety standards and becomes one of the 25 airlines in Sub-Saharan Africa that are on the IOSA registry," he said.
He said the benefits ensure the safety and attractiveness of the airline to potential investors and passengers.
"The benefits of IOSA are varied and unlimited for the passenger, the airline and the nation at large. Our passengers will continue to enjoy Zimbabwe's hospitable skies while the economy opens its belly to more investors who by nature prioritise safety," he said.
He added that the tourism industry will also benefit from the development in the national airline. "The tourism industry which enjoys the aviation's multiplier effect will benefit immensely from this development as world travellers of the 21st century are safety conscious and their choices are guided by international standards like IOSA" he said.
The principal director in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development Valentine Sinemani said:
"Air Zimbabwe is redefining its static context in terms of its relevance and rebooting its value. Our national airline represents the greatest opportunity of a turnaround of a nation in the skies because we know there is a derived relationship between national performance and national aviation development."
Source - chronicle
