The beleaguered national airline, Air Zimbabwe, on Wednesday secured an additional $2,8 million rescue package from government to resuscitate operations.
This brings to $5,7 million the amount of money government has poured into the national carrier. As a result, Airzim will resume its local flights today. Airzim acting chief executive officer Innocent Mavhunga yesterday confirmed flights would resume today.
“We are going to resume flight tomorrow (today) beginning with local flights — the Harare–Bulawayo and the Harare-Victoria Falls routes — before doing the Harare-Johannesburg on Sunday and then we hope to go international on September 23 and 25 — to China and London respectively,” he said.
Early this month, the troubled airline secured a $2,9 million rescue package from government which saw workers receiving their June salaries. Of the amount, $1,3 million was reportedly used to pay for the June salaries, while the balance was used to pay part of what they owed their British and South African creditors.
Airzim pilots downed tools on July 29, demanding their June and July salaries.
Analysts believe the strike has cost the airline more than $8 million and impacted negatively on the country’s tourism sector that had started to pick up following a decade-long recession.
Passenger confidence has also been affected as many air travellers have lost faith in Air Zimbabwe.
