Harare - Zimbabwe's state-owned airline has suspended flights to neighbouring South Africa over fears its planes could be seized for outstanding debts, a senior airline official told state media.


Air Zimbabwe acting chief executive Innocent Mavhunga said the corporation, which is struggling to pay off debts of over $140m, had decided to temporarily stop its daily flights to Johannesburg to avoid creditors there.


"We are not flying into South Africa. We are trying to secure funding to pay our debts in South Africa," he was reported as saying.


Mavhunga however was unavailable on Friday to explain why Air Zimbabwe was not worried about continuing flights to other foreign destinations, Lusaka in Zambia and Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo.


Earlier this week, Air Zimbabwe scrambled for days for money to save a Boeing 767-200 which had been impounded on landing at London's Gatwick Airport after a US firm, American General Supplies, got a court order for $1.2m owed for aircraft spares.


Last week, a South African airport support services company, Bid Air, forced Air Zimbabwe to ground a plane in Johannesburg as it pressed for payment of a $500 000 debt.


Economic analysts say Air Zimbabwe is on the verge of collapse after years of mismanagement and poor funding by President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party.


The suspension does not cut the Harare-Johannesburg route since South African Airways has three flights daily and British Airways' Comair also has a daily flight.

heard on the BBC yesterday that the 767 stuck in the UK hsa been seized and will be sold soon at public auction. WOULD ANYONE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND FLY AIR ZIM????? how stupid can you be and still be considered human?

I'd sooner strap my ass to the wing of a bi-plane than fly Air Zimbabwe! Ever wonder who works on those planes?

Mike

Yup. No chance in hell I would get on one of those planes.

quote:

Originally posted by BOWHUNR:
I'd sooner strap my ass to the wing of a bi-plane than fly Air Zimbabwe! Ever wonder who works on those planes?

Mike

my guess is NOBODY WITH HALF A BRAIN works on those planes! rather fly in the storage hold on an African cropduster.

Interesting! Past performance obviously does not nullify present (and very valid) maintenance concerns....but historically Air Zim is quite safe. I don't think they have had an accident since they lost a couple planes during the war. NO fatal events since 1979.

I once rode on the wing of a biplane in Louisiana. I was in my 20's (during my stupid period) then and I thought it quite fun (after the initial terror). Wouldn't do it again, though. Wouldn't fly with Air Zim for anything. At least on the wing I could hold on and had some semblance of control.

Dutch

You might all think that i'm mad but I flew Air Zim in June this year from Gatwick direct to Harare. There were no problems, flight there and back were on time and the food was good.

Mike