DISTRESSED national carrier Air Zimbabwe should not be a cry baby and instead change its operating model to cater for the low-end market, a tourism executive has said.
BY MTHANDAZO NYONI
The call comes in the wake of the introduction of low cost airlines — fastjet Zimbabwe and flyafrica — that threaten the survival of the national flag carrier.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 2016 Tourism Convention held in Victoria Falls last week, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority chief executive officer Karikoga Kaseke said Air Zimbabwe should up its game and launch a low cost airline like what was done by fastjet Zimbabwe and flyafrica.
Karikoga Kaseke
“Air Zimbabwe was crying about these low cost airlines that are coming in. Yes, they are coming in and they are looking for profit. We are saying they should launch their low cost airline with the assistance of the shareholder (government). That is the only way to go for its original operations and then they leave legacy airline to do long haul operations,” Kaseke said.
Last year, the quasi-government institution disclosed that it was seeking $260 million to recapitalise as debt continues to blight the airline’s turnaround strategy.
Kaseke said Air Zimbabwe has a pivotal role to play in the tourism industry and as such it was supposed to be run efficiently.
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“Government should know and all should know that it’s a national airline that we should be proud of. But we cannot be proud of it in its current status. At the moment it’s a liability. They must turn it from liability to an asset . . . It needs new equipment and there is no doubt about that, but for it to continue operating lonely it doesn’t make sense. We need to see a situation where we are all behind Air Zimbabwe,” he said.
Low-cost airlines have also prowled on one of the profitable routes — Harare to Johannesburg —that is dominated by South African Airways. This has seen airlines flying on the route introducing promotions to ward off competition.
