Air Zim stops London because aircraft will be seized
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Air Zim stops London because aircraft will be seized
How tight can this spiral go before the wings come off?
Poor old Bob - the victim of colonial oppression. 
Look on the bright side old bean - you'll have more time to flog the aircraft to your new friends in China.
4HP
Cash-strapped national carrier Air Zimbabwe has suspended its flights to London fearing the seizure of its planes by a European navigation agency over a $2.8m debt, said an official on Saturday. Air Zimbabwe board chairperson Mike Bimha was quoted by the state-controlled Herald as saying that the Agency for the Safety of Air Navigation had recently won a court order to impound the national carrier's planes to recover its debt. "It's a debt that accrued well before our time," Bimha was quoted as saying. 
"As a security measure, our lawyers have advised us to suspend flights pending discussions with the agency's lawyers." London is (was) one of Air Zimbabwe's most lucrative destinations. The newspaper said the national carrier had resorted to arranging for its London-bound passengers to be accommodated on British Airways and South African Airways flights. But the development inconvenienced passengers who needed to catch connecting flights from London. "The good thing is that we are into the winter season in the United Kingdom, where the numbers of passengers are not too big so we have no problems transferring passengers to other airlines," The Herald quoted Bimha as saying. Air Zimbabwe's fortunes have been flagging in recent years because of shortages of fuel and spare parts, as well as allegations of poor management. Dwindling tourism numbers have contributed significantly to the carrier's problems as visitors from traditional tourism markets, such as the United States and western Europe, have shunned the southern African country. Air Zimbabwe acting chief executive officer Oscar Madombwe told members of parliament earlier this year that passenger numbers had slumped from one million in 1999 to 23 000 last year. The national carrier announced fare increases of up to 500% on international and domestic routes last month. Fuel shortages forced the national carrier to ground its entire fleet for more than a day in November last year.
"As a security measure, our lawyers have advised us to suspend flights pending discussions with the agency's lawyers." London is (was) one of Air Zimbabwe's most lucrative destinations. The newspaper said the national carrier had resorted to arranging for its London-bound passengers to be accommodated on British Airways and South African Airways flights. But the development inconvenienced passengers who needed to catch connecting flights from London. "The good thing is that we are into the winter season in the United Kingdom, where the numbers of passengers are not too big so we have no problems transferring passengers to other airlines," The Herald quoted Bimha as saying. Air Zimbabwe's fortunes have been flagging in recent years because of shortages of fuel and spare parts, as well as allegations of poor management. Dwindling tourism numbers have contributed significantly to the carrier's problems as visitors from traditional tourism markets, such as the United States and western Europe, have shunned the southern African country. Air Zimbabwe acting chief executive officer Oscar Madombwe told members of parliament earlier this year that passenger numbers had slumped from one million in 1999 to 23 000 last year. The national carrier announced fare increases of up to 500% on international and domestic routes last month. Fuel shortages forced the national carrier to ground its entire fleet for more than a day in November last year.
Look on the bright side old bean - you'll have more time to flog the aircraft to your new friends in China. 4HP
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Can anybody tell us what happened to the Air Zim. B767 (Z-WPF) that was “stored” in Germany?
Well with a fleet of about 9 flying/non flying a/c, giving a ratio of 2600 staff per a/c……….very good……for Africa
Well with a fleet of about 9 flying/non flying a/c, giving a ratio of 2600 staff per a/c……….very good……for Africa
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I wonder whether Air Zim is paying their SA fuel bill and airport fees or whether the SA taxpayer is helping uncle Bob ?
If they have got away with it for 4 years in the UK ...imagine how long it could go on here in SA.
If they have got away with it for 4 years in the UK ...imagine how long it could go on here in SA.
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Air Zimbabwe will resume flights from Harare to London Gatwick on 15 November, one week after the service was suspended due to fears that African air navigation agency ASECNA would seize the carrier’s aircraft over unpaid debts.
An Air Zimbabwe spokesman confirms that ASECNA obtained a court order to seize the airline’s assets in relation to an unpaid debt of $2.8 million. He adds that the debt has now been paid and flights to London will resume in two days’ time.
The spokesman says Air Zimbabwe was advised by its legal team to suspend the service while discussions with ASECNA continued. He adds that, in the meantime, London-bound passengers are being flown by other airlines.
No further details are currently available
An Air Zimbabwe spokesman confirms that ASECNA obtained a court order to seize the airline’s assets in relation to an unpaid debt of $2.8 million. He adds that the debt has now been paid and flights to London will resume in two days’ time.
The spokesman says Air Zimbabwe was advised by its legal team to suspend the service while discussions with ASECNA continued. He adds that, in the meantime, London-bound passengers are being flown by other airlines.
No further details are currently available
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Eraser, Z-WPF had its engine change and is back in service (since mid oct).
Yes uncle Bob has such a hard time trying to undo all the colonial evils, especially the evil of running a business properly. Interestingly Air Rhodesia Corporation in its 12 years of existence made a profit in every single one, before becoming Air Zim. That in the midst of sanctions, high oil prices, and a war that saw two of its aircraft shot down by terrorists. They even paid their pilots and their bills!
Yes uncle Bob has such a hard time trying to undo all the colonial evils, especially the evil of running a business properly. Interestingly Air Rhodesia Corporation in its 12 years of existence made a profit in every single one, before becoming Air Zim. That in the midst of sanctions, high oil prices, and a war that saw two of its aircraft shot down by terrorists. They even paid their pilots and their bills!
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Thanx for the info Manamana, if I recall it was missing a (port) engine and the other engine intake was covered with lots of cowling missing. We were told that it was in "storage"......but I guess not...!!!!
Loved the old Air Rhodie Viscount's.........is the one still standing in HRE? What about the old B707's, years and years back saa technical was requested to check the B707 and fly it back to JHB for repairs.....but it would have been uneconomical to repair.
E
Loved the old Air Rhodie Viscount's.........is the one still standing in HRE? What about the old B707's, years and years back saa technical was requested to check the B707 and fly it back to JHB for repairs.....but it would have been uneconomical to repair.
E
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The Last 707 was withdrawn from service at the end of 1995, and parked next to the Viscount for a couple of years. They were both finally destroyed and made onto teaspoons in '98. An era gone.
Z-WPF had a problem with its port engine using oil, and was eventually grounded at Gatwick. It was then ferried to Frankfurt as parking was apparently cheaper, while Air Zim waited for payment for a replacement engine.
It seems Air Zim remits all forex earned to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, as it is required to do by law, and then the RBZ is supposed to pay Air Zims bills that require forex. After a good bit of Africanism, bills don't get paid. I'm gonna die of not surprise. So Air Zim gets grounded/impounded/banned until it's all sorted out. This is just the latest case. There will be more.
Z-WPF had a problem with its port engine using oil, and was eventually grounded at Gatwick. It was then ferried to Frankfurt as parking was apparently cheaper, while Air Zim waited for payment for a replacement engine.
It seems Air Zim remits all forex earned to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, as it is required to do by law, and then the RBZ is supposed to pay Air Zims bills that require forex. After a good bit of Africanism, bills don't get paid. I'm gonna die of not surprise. So Air Zim gets grounded/impounded/banned until it's all sorted out. This is just the latest case. There will be more.
