A LOCAL air service company, Jetex (Private) Limited has filed summons against Air Zimbabwe demanding US$210 000 advanced to the struggling national airliner to pay pilots, parking fees and allowances after its plane was grounded for 17 days in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during its war with M23 rebels.
Jetex helped Air Zimbabwe to remove its 14-member crew that had been grounded in Goma after landing during the conflict between DRC soldiers and M23 in May this year.
In the summons, the company cited Air Zimbabwe as the defendant.
Jetex, a company duly registered in terms of the laws of South Africa, is being represented by Gumbo-Venge Law Attorneys.
According to the summons, Jetex is seeking to recover US$210 000 advanced to Air Zimbabwe on various occasions as per its requests communicated through chief executive Edmund Makona and his counterpart Matipedza Karase from May 8 to 25 this year.
The Air Zimbabwe aircraft and 14 crew members were grounded in the DRC after landing in Goma and failing to operate or make its way back to Zimbabwe.
Jetex submitted that during that period, Air Zimbabwe had leased its aircraft, a Boeing 767-200ER to Mont Gabaon Airlines, which lease was cancelled by the national airliner after the aircraft was grounded in Goma.
It was submitted that during the same period, Air Zimbabwe then sought financial assistance from Jetex.
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The details of the financial requests were that Jetex would cater for the crew’s food and accommodation expenses to the tune of US$83 300 for the 17 days the aircraft was grounded in Goma.
Air Zimbabwe reportedly requested Jetex to pay the per diems to the crew on a daily basis, amounting to US$47 600 for the period the aircraft was grounded.
Additionally, the airliner reportedly requested Jetex to cater for its aircraft’s handling, bus, logistics and maintenance fees amounting to US$34 000.
Jetex was also requested to pay Air Zimbabwe aircraft parking fees in DRC amounting to US$11 700 and paid the requested sums based on the national airliner’s promise to settle the debt on the jet’s arrival in Zimbabwe.
It was submitted that the debt remain due, but Air Zimbabwe has neglected to pay despite demand.
Jetex submitted that on a separate occasion around May 2024, Air Zimbabwe further requested it to assist with effecting payment to its pilots to be flown to Brussels in Belgium for a training programme.
In that regard, Jetex made another payment of US$11 000 and the amount is due for payment, but Air Zimbabwe neglected to pay the debt despite demand from the debtor.
It was also submitted that in another incident, Air Zimbabwe requested Jetex to advance it with the sum of US$22 400 for fuel and the plaintiff provided the assistance based on the parties’ working relationship, trusting that the debtor would repay on time.
Air Zimbabwe again failed to repay despite the amount being due, with the debt ballooning to US$210 000, leading to the current lawsuit.
Jetex submitted that Air Zimbabwe had no grounds for withholding the money hence it was seeking the court's intervention in the recovery of the amount plus interest at the prescribed rate from the date of issuance of the summons to the date of full and final settlement of the debt.
Jetex also wants an order that Air Zimbabwe pays the costs of suit on an attorney-client scale.
