Harare in talks with SA over grounded plane

Ndaka Majaka

ZIMBABWE’S flag carrier, Air Zimbabwe, says it is in discussions with the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) after its only operational aircraft was grounded at the OR Tambo International Airport over debts.

Air Zimbabwe spokesperson Tafadzwa Mazonde told ZTN that the plane will soon be back in the skies as intensive talks are underway to break the impasse.

“We were not impounded, ACSA does not have a court order to do this. We are in meetings and indications are we will resolve the matter,” Mazonde said late Thursday.

On Tuesday, ACSA grounded Air Zimbabwe’s Boeing 767-200 because the flag carrier owed the airport administrator payments for “landing, parking and passenger services for flights into Johannesburg.”

Apart from this, Air Zimbabwe has also been suspended from using the airport due to its indebtedness.

This affected passengers travelling between Johannesburg and Harare, with passengers on mid-week flights failing to travel. Air Zimbabwe flights remain cancelled.