Air Zim seeks partner for long-haul aircraft

Zim Now Writer

National carrier Air Zimbabwe is courting potential takers to lease out its long-haul aircraft, as part of its efforts to consolidate its revenue base as it emerges from the woods.

The State-owned carrier came out of reconstruction last year and has a total fleet of seven aircraft, including three that are servicing domestic and regional routes like South Africa.

Government put Air Zimbabwe under reconstruction in October 2018 to prevent legal action and attachment of its assets in the face of a combination of huge debts amounting US$30 million in foreign liabilities and $349 million (Zimbabwe dollars) in obligations owed to local creditors that weighed on the national carrier.

Air Zimbabwe acting chief executive officer Tafadzwa Zaza, who was attending the CEO Africa Annual Roundtable in Victoria Falls last week, said they had long-haul aircraft that include the Boeing 777 (B777) which they want to lease out.

“And as a strategy we want to lease them out for now while we are consolidating our revenue base, thereafter, when we are consolidated, we can start the international routes.

“We cannot start by operating on the international sector without consolidating on the domestic and regional markets, that's why we are not operating the B777,” he said.

The national airline has been beefing up its fleet lately, including through the acquisition of two Boeing 777-200ER bought from Malaysia in 2020, which were both earmarked for long overhaul destinations.

However, the delivery of the two aircrafts was delayed due to the adverse impact of the Covid-19 pandemic which subdued the global aviation industry as travel bans were imposed across the world.

Zaza could not be drawn into revealing the potential takers for the aircraft that Air Zimbabwe intends to lease out, citing confidentiality issues.