British Airways pulls out of Zimbabwe
Posted 1h 39m ago


By Angus Shaw, Associated Press Writer
HARARE, Zimbabwe — British Airways is stopping its flights to Zimbabwe, the company said Thursday, citing mounting losses on the route as the southern African nation faces its worst economic crisis since independence in 1980.
With Zimbabwe's international isolation growing, the British airline said in a statement in Harare it will discontinue its three weekly round trip services between Harare and London starting Oct. 28.

Acute fuel shortages in Zimbabwe have forced the airline to bring in fuel by road and refuel its planes in neighboring countries.

Zimbabwe is also suffering acute shortages of food and most basic goods. It has the world's highest official inflation of nearly 7,000%. Independent estimates put real inflation closer to 25,000% and the International Monetary Fund has forecast it reaching 100,000% by the end of the year.

Since 2001, the height of the often violent seizures of thousands of white-owned commercial farms that disrupted the agriculture-based economy in the former regional breadbasket, the Australian, French, Dutch and Portuguese airlines have withdrawn from Zimbabwe, leaving the state carrier Air Zimbabwe, South African Airways and two other African airlines flying to Harare.

Steve Harrison, British Airways commercial manager for southern Africa, said spiraling operating costs and falling passenger numbers left British Airways with "considerable" losses on the Harare route.

"The economic situation in Zimbabwe has contributed to a decline in market demand. The withdrawal of Harare flights is for commercial reasons as it is becoming increasingly difficult to justify our operation," Harrison said in the statement.

Wednesday, British Airways said was ending its daily service between Detroit, Michigan and London, also citing economic reasons.

This is the Country chosen tho be the head of the UN Committee on sustainable development.

Let's see...

London--Harare cancelled for economic reasons
London--Detroit cancelled for economic reasons

and to think detroit used to build the best cars...

Accoding to Debbie at Custom Travel British Airways is still flying from Joburg to Vic Falls. The headline is a little deceptive as BA is still flying into Zim, just not the direct flight from London to Harare.

The affiliate airline Comair is what flies from JNB to Vic Falls, and JNB to Harare

Iam surprised BA lasted this long...

I think Zim will explode by years end. How long can this bubble last before it bursts?

Woodrow: That was the prediction of many Africans that I talked with a couple of months ago while over there. But who knows? He's hung on this long when many thought he couldn't. He's worse than a vampire.

This actually belongs on the political forum... Remember in 1975 mozambique closed every factory, burnt out every farm and deported all skilled personel. The economy ground to a halt in one month. Refuse collection ceased that same month and within 6 months all water supplies had been disconected in the capital. It was three years before Civil war broke out - and only then because Rhodesia initiated it- setting up a radio station, supplying arms and a safe base.

This happy state of affairs lasted 11 years. In the interim, the MRM (as Renamo was originally known) with selous scout backing had destroyed all power supply networks, blown every road and rail bridge etc. It only began to change once S. machelle (the president) flew into a hill.

Don't hold your breath on zim!

It is a topic about a prime airline cancelling certain services to Zimbabwe and that pertains to African Travel surely as anything. Politics may well come into play, but not the prime topic of the report - activities of an airline.
I believe it would be safe to say that "politics" in Zimbabwe has been reduced to the "law of the jungle" and no need for political discource regarding Zimbabwe, only warnings of future activities or events would be in order I believe.