Air Zimbabwe working on its planes

Air Zimbabwe has begun repairing two of its three short-haul planes which had been grounded by the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe over airworthiness concerns.

The aircraft - Boeing 737 200s - have outlived their 20-year lifespan, prompting CAAZ to order their suspension.

The grounding of the planes, which plied domestic and regional routes, forced Air Zimbabwe to lease an aircraft from Zambia to service the affected routes.

Air Zimbabwe chairman Mr Jonathan Kadzura said one of the three grounded planes started flying last week after repair, and the remaining two were being serviced.

"The other plane is going through a scheduled fitness check called the C check, while the other plane is going through normal service," he said.

"The other plane has been flying normally for the past week," Mr Kadzura said.

Although the planes have outlived their lifespans, the manufacturer, Boeing, has ruled them still fit to fly.

The national carrier is beset by a host of challenges, including a huge debt of more than US$100 million.

A few months ago, it was in the news for failing to pay its workers, forcing pilots and cabin crew to strike.

Air Zimbabwe is among parastatals that the Government has earmarked for possible commercialisation.