Air Zimbabwe to auction old airplanes

The national airline has written to treasury to grant them permission to auction some of its old airplanes so that they can at least salvage something from the fleet which is lying idle.

The US$380 million Air Zimbabwe debt still remains the biggest stumbling block to the resuscitation of the airline with the national flag carrier's only plane in service currently undergoing a mandatory maintenance check.

This came out during a tour of Air Zimbabwe by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development.

The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development heard that the national airline which has a US$380 million debt requires a further US$12 million to service and maintain its fleet which is currently grounded.

The fleet includes, two 120 seater airbuses which require about US$9 million for repairs and maintenance as well as the recently acquired 50-seater Embraer which is in its final stages of registration.

Speaking during the tour of Air Zimbabwe this Monday, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development, Engineer Oscar Gorerino commended the efforts being done by the administrator in trying to resuscitate the national airline.

 "As a committee we have noted the goodwill exhibited by the administrator in resuscitating the airline," he said

Air Zimbabwe Administrator, Mr Reggie Saruchera called for the capitalisation of the national airline.

"We need to capitalise our airline. If we lag behind in terms of equipment then we lag behind," he said

The airline's troubles have been a boon for rivals which include Fastjet and South African Airways.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa this Monday appointed Patrick Chinamasa as the chairman of the Air Zimbabwe board of directors in a move expected to take the flag carrier off the ground.