Air Zimbabwe suspends flights to London, Joburg

This article was written by Our reporter on 2 January, at 22 : 11 PM

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Air Zimbabwe suspends flights to London, Joburg

ZIMBABWE’S National Airline, Air Zimbabwe, has suspended all flights to London with immediate effect.

This was announced by the Air Zimbabwe chairman Jonathan Kadzura on Sunday.

The company is a parastal, 100 percent owned by the Zimbabwe government.

This news follows an incident at London’s Gatwick Airport where one of Air Zimbabwe’s planes was recently impounded by an American aviation firm to which the carrier owed $1.5 million.

The company’s chairman added that Air Zimbabwe was also halting flights to Johannesburg, South Africa, citing financial reasons.

Kadzura said the national airline no longer has the capacity to service the Harare-London and Harare-Johannesburg routes.

Air Zimbabwe planes in Johannesburg were also targeted by creditors who last month impounded one of them on South African soil.

Kadzura said flights to South Africa remain suspended as the airline is still negotiating with ground handling firm Bid Air Services to settle an overdue debt of $500,000.

The airline will maintain flights to China, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.

American General Supplies recently impounded an Air Zimbabwe Boeing 767-200 and held it until the airline settled a $1.5 million account for spares and other equipment.

Kadzura said the Zimbabwe inclusive Government does not want to rescue the national airline.

TZG/VOA