Air Zimbabwe pilots tell of terrible working conditions

Air Zimbabwe pilots have told of terrible working conditions and appealed to parliament to help lobby government for the revival of the Harare - London route which they described as a cash cow for the national airliner.

The pilots, who were giving oral evidence before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development chaired by Chegutu West legislator, Cde Dexter Nduna, painted a sad state of affairs as they called on government to realise that Air Zimbabwe as a national airline is strategic to Zimbabwe's economic turnaround.

Lamenting old equipment, skills flight due to poor remuneration and absence of substantive office holders, among many other challenges, the pilots under the banner of the Zimbabwe Flight Groups Association told the legislators that reviving the Harare - London route could unlock a lot of lucrative results.

The pilots also told the committee about the challenges they have had with their parent ministry which owes them salaries dating back to 2009, amid broken promises to address their grievances.

Air Zimbabwe has been riddled with viability challenges for a long time and experts have for long called for a radical shift in the way the company operates.