Air Zimbabwe flights suspended as of 1 Jul 2011
Jul 2, 2011, 6:39 am
#1
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Air Zimbabwe flights suspended as of 1 Jul 2011
http://allafrica.com/stories/201107010787.html
Airzim Flights Remain Suspended
1 July 2011
AIR Zimbabwe board chairman Mr Jonathan Kadzura yesterday declared that all domestic flights will remain suspended as long as the two 737-200 planes are still grounded.
The national airline grounded three of its Boeing 737-200 series in April after the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe indicated that the planes had passed their design service objective of 20 years and were increasingly becoming expensive to run.
However, the manufacturer (Boeing) gave AirZim the green light to continue flying its 737-200 planes, saying they were fit to fly.
Last night, Mr Kadzura said it did not make business sense to service domestic routes with the 767-200 even at full capacity.
His declaration comes against the background of media reports that the national airline cancelled its Harare-Bulawayo flight on Sunday and booked the passengers on the bus.
"There is no way I can authorise the 767-200 to Bulawayo with 30 people. That does not make any business sense. Even at full capacity to Bulawayo, the 767 plane will be very expensive.
"I am not like a stupid bus operator who can authorise a bus to drive from Mutare to Harare with one passenger. We have to make decisions, which do not destroy the airline.
"I do not have planes to service the domestic route.
"The 737-200 planes were grounded by the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimba- bwe. Those were the planes that serviced the domestic market," Mr Kadzura said.
Meanwhile, our Mutare Bureau reported that scores of passengers who were scheduled to fly to Bulawayo on Sunday were left stranded after their flight was cancelled at the last minute due to operational challenges.
In a telephone interview on Monday, an Air Zimbabwe official, who refused to disclose her name, confirmed the cancellation of flights and said they gave passengers three options.
Said the official: "Our flight to Bulawayo on Sunday had to be cancelled due to operational challenges and we had to give the passengers three options.
"Those who were in a hurry were asked to use a bus on Monday afternoon, while others had their flights re-booked for Wednesday.
"Those who felt hard done by the move will have their money refunded," said the official.
One of the affected passengers, Mutare businessman, Mr Isau Mupfumi, who was scheduled to fly to Bulawayo to attend to business, said he was surprised to be told that the flight had been cancelled.
"This is so inconveniencing because we had already made plans for meetings in Bulawayo, only to be told that the flight had been cancelled.
"When flights are cancelled, the service provider usually pays for the passenger's accommodation while they wait for the next flight and this did not happen after Sunday's flight cancellation.
"Some of us we are in the public transport business and it was an insult for Air Zimbabwe to ask us to use buses to travel to Bulawayo," complained Mr Mupfumi.
Some of the passengers going to local routes like Bulawayo and Victoria are first travelling to Johannesburg in South Africa and reconnect back to Bulawayo and Victoria Falls due to Air Zimbabwe's inconsistency.
Most passengers who opt for refunds have to wait for a little longer to have their money as the national airline takes time to provide the funds.
"We do not pay refunds there and that is why we usually try to re-book our passengers in the next available flight," said the Air Zimbabwe official.
Mr Kadzura yesterday defended the decision, saying it made business sense.
"The decision to book people on buses were made by my management and I am fully behind them.
"That was the only sensible thing they could do. These things take a certain level of education to understand," Mr Kadzura said.
Airzim Flights Remain Suspended
1 July 2011
AIR Zimbabwe board chairman Mr Jonathan Kadzura yesterday declared that all domestic flights will remain suspended as long as the two 737-200 planes are still grounded.
The national airline grounded three of its Boeing 737-200 series in April after the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe indicated that the planes had passed their design service objective of 20 years and were increasingly becoming expensive to run.
However, the manufacturer (Boeing) gave AirZim the green light to continue flying its 737-200 planes, saying they were fit to fly.
Last night, Mr Kadzura said it did not make business sense to service domestic routes with the 767-200 even at full capacity.
His declaration comes against the background of media reports that the national airline cancelled its Harare-Bulawayo flight on Sunday and booked the passengers on the bus.
"There is no way I can authorise the 767-200 to Bulawayo with 30 people. That does not make any business sense. Even at full capacity to Bulawayo, the 767 plane will be very expensive.
"I am not like a stupid bus operator who can authorise a bus to drive from Mutare to Harare with one passenger. We have to make decisions, which do not destroy the airline.
"I do not have planes to service the domestic route.
"The 737-200 planes were grounded by the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimba- bwe. Those were the planes that serviced the domestic market," Mr Kadzura said.
Meanwhile, our Mutare Bureau reported that scores of passengers who were scheduled to fly to Bulawayo on Sunday were left stranded after their flight was cancelled at the last minute due to operational challenges.
In a telephone interview on Monday, an Air Zimbabwe official, who refused to disclose her name, confirmed the cancellation of flights and said they gave passengers three options.
Said the official: "Our flight to Bulawayo on Sunday had to be cancelled due to operational challenges and we had to give the passengers three options.
"Those who were in a hurry were asked to use a bus on Monday afternoon, while others had their flights re-booked for Wednesday.
"Those who felt hard done by the move will have their money refunded," said the official.
One of the affected passengers, Mutare businessman, Mr Isau Mupfumi, who was scheduled to fly to Bulawayo to attend to business, said he was surprised to be told that the flight had been cancelled.
"This is so inconveniencing because we had already made plans for meetings in Bulawayo, only to be told that the flight had been cancelled.
"When flights are cancelled, the service provider usually pays for the passenger's accommodation while they wait for the next flight and this did not happen after Sunday's flight cancellation.
"Some of us we are in the public transport business and it was an insult for Air Zimbabwe to ask us to use buses to travel to Bulawayo," complained Mr Mupfumi.
Some of the passengers going to local routes like Bulawayo and Victoria are first travelling to Johannesburg in South Africa and reconnect back to Bulawayo and Victoria Falls due to Air Zimbabwe's inconsistency.
Most passengers who opt for refunds have to wait for a little longer to have their money as the national airline takes time to provide the funds.
"We do not pay refunds there and that is why we usually try to re-book our passengers in the next available flight," said the Air Zimbabwe official.
Mr Kadzura yesterday defended the decision, saying it made business sense.
"The decision to book people on buses were made by my management and I am fully behind them.
"That was the only sensible thing they could do. These things take a certain level of education to understand," Mr Kadzura said.
Jul 2, 2011, 6:43 am
#2
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: RSA
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Quotable quotes - Air Zimbabwe board chairman Mr Jonathan Kadzura
Love the following quotes:
"I am not like a stupid bus operator who can authorise a bus to drive from Mutare to Harare with one passenger. We have to make decisions, which do not destroy the airline.
"I do not have planes to service the domestic route."
"That was the only sensible thing they could do. These things take a certain level of education to understand,"
"I am not like a stupid bus operator who can authorise a bus to drive from Mutare to Harare with one passenger. We have to make decisions, which do not destroy the airline.
"I do not have planes to service the domestic route."
"That was the only sensible thing they could do. These things take a certain level of education to understand,"
Jul 3, 2011, 4:43 pm
#4
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Thanks or the update. We'll move this to the appropriate airlines Forum for members' edification and leave a permanent link. /Moderator
Jul 31, 2011, 2:49 am
#6
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Posts: 141
AirZim flights suspended as pilots strike
http://talkzimbabwe.com/?p=1188
AIR Zimbabwe has once again suspended all flights after pilots downed tools yesterday demanding that they should be paid their outstanding June and July salaries and allowances.
About a fortnight ago flights were suspended again after the pilots went on strike demanding their outstanding allowances and salaries.
Yesterday’s strike left hundreds of passengers stranded.
Air Zim acting chief executive officer, Moses Mapanda confirmed the strike last night saying negotiations with the pilots were underway.
“We have not been able to pay the pilots their June and July salaries and allowances, so that is what they are demanding.
“We are talking to one another and the meetings are cordial but they insisted that they would need to consult their membership first so we are meeting again tomorrow (Saturday),” he said.
Mapanda said no air service would be offered by the national airline until the issue has been resolved.
“It was only the pilots who went on strike, everyone else is at work.
“In the meantime we are not offering any air service.
“We are however, waiting for the pilots meeting tomorrow (Saturday) to guide us,” Mapanda said.
He said Air Zimbabwe had re-scheduled some of yesterday’s flights including the Harare-Beijing flight.
Mapanda said some of the passengers had been re-scheduled.
“Some have been re-scheduled, others re-scheduled themselves on other airlines but will be refunded at a later date.
“Some of the passengers are waiting until we resolve the issue.
“For the Beijing flight, we re-scheduled it to tomorrow (Saturday) subject to the pilots’ meeting tomorrow morning,” he said.
Sources who spoke to The Herald newspaper on Friday said pilots were taking advantages of the problems bedevilling the airline.
They said the pilots had become very powerful that they can just do as they please.
“These pilots have other motives which have nothing to do with their conditions of service.
“Two weeks ago they were given part of their allowances and told that management and the shareholder (Government) were seized with the matter but they still hold the airline hostage.
“They must appreciate that Air Zim is operating under difficult circumstances. We are not making profits because of the staff complement,” said the source on condition of anonymity.
Added another source: “It is high time that the shareholder stops dancing to these pilots’ tune because they are not doing the airline any good.
“Everyone is concerned with what is happening at Air Zim. The board, management and the shareholder are working flat out to make sure things work but the pilots are letting us down. They are not sincere at all.”
AIR Zimbabwe has once again suspended all flights after pilots downed tools yesterday demanding that they should be paid their outstanding June and July salaries and allowances.
About a fortnight ago flights were suspended again after the pilots went on strike demanding their outstanding allowances and salaries.
Yesterday’s strike left hundreds of passengers stranded.
Air Zim acting chief executive officer, Moses Mapanda confirmed the strike last night saying negotiations with the pilots were underway.
“We have not been able to pay the pilots their June and July salaries and allowances, so that is what they are demanding.
“We are talking to one another and the meetings are cordial but they insisted that they would need to consult their membership first so we are meeting again tomorrow (Saturday),” he said.
Mapanda said no air service would be offered by the national airline until the issue has been resolved.
“It was only the pilots who went on strike, everyone else is at work.
“In the meantime we are not offering any air service.
“We are however, waiting for the pilots meeting tomorrow (Saturday) to guide us,” Mapanda said.
He said Air Zimbabwe had re-scheduled some of yesterday’s flights including the Harare-Beijing flight.
Mapanda said some of the passengers had been re-scheduled.
“Some have been re-scheduled, others re-scheduled themselves on other airlines but will be refunded at a later date.
“Some of the passengers are waiting until we resolve the issue.
“For the Beijing flight, we re-scheduled it to tomorrow (Saturday) subject to the pilots’ meeting tomorrow morning,” he said.
Sources who spoke to The Herald newspaper on Friday said pilots were taking advantages of the problems bedevilling the airline.
They said the pilots had become very powerful that they can just do as they please.
“These pilots have other motives which have nothing to do with their conditions of service.
“Two weeks ago they were given part of their allowances and told that management and the shareholder (Government) were seized with the matter but they still hold the airline hostage.
“They must appreciate that Air Zim is operating under difficult circumstances. We are not making profits because of the staff complement,” said the source on condition of anonymity.
Added another source: “It is high time that the shareholder stops dancing to these pilots’ tune because they are not doing the airline any good.
“Everyone is concerned with what is happening at Air Zim. The board, management and the shareholder are working flat out to make sure things work but the pilots are letting us down. They are not sincere at all.”