South African Airways Adds Rwanda and Burundi to African Network

South African Airways (SAA), Africa’s most awarded airline, has added two more travel options to its African route network as part of the airline’s growth plans on the continent. Effective January 17, 2012, SAA will commence operations from Johannesburg to Kigali (Rwanda) and onwards to Bujumbura (Burundi). The return flights will operate from Bujumbura to Kigali and onwards to Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport. These flights are now available for reservations in the Global Distribution System (GDS’s), through your travel agent, and via flysaa.com, the airline’s online website.

The new Kigali and Bujumbura flights have been conveniently timed to provide global connections via our Johannesburg hub and to SAA’s international network, including Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, North America and Australia.

“SAA is focused on strengthening its intra-Africa network in line with its Africa Expansion programme. Adding even more destinations to our already extensive Africa route network gives our customers more travel options to thriving destinations that were previously difficult to reach by air,” says Theunis Potgieter, SAA General Manager Commercial.

In addition to being the capital city of Rwanda, Kigali is also its economic, cultural and tourist transit hub. Bujumbura is Burundi’s capital and largest city and is close to the country’s main port, shipping coffee as its primary export.

The route between Johannesburg to Kigali and onwards to Bujumbura will be serviced three times a week by SAA’s state-of-the-art Airbus A319 aircraft, which is able to accommodate 120 passengers in a two class (business and economy) configuration.

SAA’s most recent addition to its African route network was the start of flights to Ndola, Zambia on October 2nd. The Ndola service is largely aligned to growth in demand from mining executives, especially those flying into South Africa from countries such as Australia.

Schedule for Johannesburg - Kigali - Bujumbura:
Flight SA088    
Operates Tuesday, Friday, Sunday
Departs Johannesburg at 13h00, arrives Kigali at 17h00

Flight SA088
Operates Tuesday, Friday, Sunday
Departs Kigali at 17h50, arrives Bujumbura at 18h40

Schedule for Bujumbura - Kigali - Johannesburg:        
Flight SA089
Operates Monday, Wednesday, Saturday
Departs Bujumbura at 07h50, arrives Kigali at 08h45

Flight SA089
Operates Monday, Wednesday, Saturday
Departs Kigali at 09h35, arrives Johannesburg at 13h35

SAA’s Africa route network:
Accra (Ghana); Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) (code share); Blantyre & Lilongwe (Malawi); Dar Es Salaam (Tanzania); Dakar (Senegal); Douala (Cameroon); Libreville (Gabon); Entebbe (Uganda); Kinshasa (DRC); Harare & Vic Falls (Zimbabwe); Luanda (Angola); Lusaka, Livingstone, Ndola (Zambia); Maputo (Mozambique); Mauritius; Nairobi (Kenya); Windhoek (Namibia).

EgyptAir resumes flights to Benghazi on 5 November

National carrier announces resumption of flights from Cairo to Libya's second city after seven-month stoppage.

EgyptAir will resume flights from Cairo to Benghazi on 5 November following a gap of seven months caused by Libya's civil war, the chairman of the national carrier's holding company said on Thursday.

Chairman Masoud Al Hussein said the airline will provide four services a week -- on Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday -- from the Egyptian capital to Libya's second city. 

Flights to Tripoli are still some way off, EgyptAir added, citing Libyan Civil Aviation Authority reports that the Libyan capital's main airport is undergoing extensive repairs after being badly damaged during August's fighting.

Egypt Air to resume flights into Lusaka

ZAMBIA and Egypt are engaged in talks on the possibility of EgyptAir resuming a direct flight between Lusaka and Cairo following the suspension of flights on the route.
Egypt Air operated seven flights into Lusaka from January 17 - 28, 2011 after the inaugural flight launch.
Egyptian ambassador to Zambia Salah El Sadek said discussions are currently underway with the Government to restart the route.
“This is an issue I hope will be resolved with the new changes in the new Government, we have had some challenges within, we are now in contact to try to resume the operations of the airline which already worked seven flights to Lusaka from 17 to 28 January, but ironically the revolution also happened in our country,” he said.
Mr El Sadek said this in an interview in Lusaka on Wednesday last week.
He said apart from the revolution challenge in that country, there were some internal ones within Zambia.
“I don’t want to use the words that we were chased out.., I must say we faced some challenges and we are discussing it now with the new government hoping to reach a decision soon and start operating in the country,” he said.
He said once the flights resume; it will boost trade between the two countries and contribute significantly to tourism development.
Meanwhile, a delegation from Egypt that visited Zambia recently is impressed with the economic stability of the country.
 He said Egyptian investors are interested to explore further investments opportunities in key sectors of the economy.
“We are expecting more investors here although we have challenges until the elections (in Egypt),” he said.

KLM to start Havana flights

Dutch flag carrier KLM will begin to offer three-times-a-week flights to Cuba starting Oct. 31, the Cuban tourism ministry announced.

The flights, on 285-seat MD11 aircraft, will connect Amsterdam and Havana on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

The Havana flights are part of a “marked expansion” of the airline in the Caribbean, KLM President and CEO Peter Hartman said in a press release earlier this year. KLM’s target clientele will be not only Dutch tourists, but also travelers from other European countries, according to Hartman.

Dutch tourists aside, the KLM connection, according to the Cuban tourism ministry, is expected to bring in more visitors from Scandinavia, Germany and Eastern Europe.

Ethiopian Airlines Launches Online Check-In Service

Ethiopian Airlines has launched an online passenger web check-in service that allows passengers to check-in online avoiding the airport queues and last minute rush at the airport.

Customers can now choose their own seats online, update personal information, confirm special requests, print boarding passes, and then proceed straight to the boarding gate.

The service is particularly beneficial to passengers traveling with no baggage - such as business travellers - as they can proceed directly to the boarding gate through airport security.

 Passengers with check-in baggages need to first proceed to the baggage drop-off zone.

 The new system will allow also passengers to register their loyalty miles while checking-in.

Mr. Gobena Michael, Chief Commercial Officer of Ethiopian Airlines said, "The introduction of the Web Check-in facility will increase operational efficiencies besides enhancing our customer services.”

The online check-in is available from 48 to 2 hours prior to the departure of international flights and from 24 to 2 hours for domestic flights.

Passengers without check-in baggage must get to the airport 60 minutes before the departure of international flights and 45 minutes before departure of domestic flights.

At the initial stage, the web check-in service is available for 32 Ethiopian destinations although the airline is planning to expand the service to its remaining destinations.

Air Zimbabwe trying to secure French planes amid sanctions

Air Zimbabwe is reportedly struggling to register two airbus planes it bought from France because of European Union sanctions imposed on the southern African country.

Details emerging from several Air Zimbabwe sources reveal that the planes were bought through China Sonangol, a Chinese controlled oil company based in Angola.

Sonangol was reportedly roped in to circumvent the sanctions slapped on Zimbabwe in 2002.
Aviation sources said Eads, the French aircraft manufacturer was the supplier of the planes.
The sources said the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Infrastructural Development entered into the deal with Sonangol.
Sonangol would then advance payment to Reliance Aerospace Solutions, an aviation consulting firm which would transfer the funds to Airbus.
In 2009, five deals worth US$8 billion were signed between the Zimbabwean government and Sonangol.

The deals were signed amid promises that they would help the country attract direct foreign investment into key sectors of the economy.

Air Zimbabwe seems to have been one of the beneficiaries with the purchase of the Airbus planes to replenish an ageing fleet.
With the procurement of the planes in place, several pilots and staff have been sent to various European countries for training but registration of the planes is now a stumbling block.
In July and August a team of pilots and stewards was dispatched to Toulouse in France and Madrid in Spain for training on the new aircraft.
The new aircraft will service Air Zimbabwe's long-haul routes – mainly to China and the United Kingdom.

Air Zimbabwe sources said the latest team sent to France to iron-out the deal came back empty handed.
"The first delivery was expected before September 20.
"What I see as the biggest challenge is the issue of ownership of the planes because the management of Air Zimbabwe have no idea where the money to buy the planes is coming from," said the source.
As if to collaborate the details, last week Air Zimbabwe acting chief executive officer Innocent Mavhunga told a parliamentary committee that 16 pilots had been sent for a 45-day course in preparation for delivery of new equipment.
Mavhunga, however, failed to say when the government would bring the new equipment, prompting MPs to conclude that the government, which is the majority shareholder was the one running Air Zimbabwe and not management.
Mavhunga said the airline was saddled with a $137, 7 million debt, $112, 7 million of it being internal debt.
Transport, Communications and Infrastructural Development Minister Nicholas Goche recently announced that government will soon take over Air Zimbabwe's debts.

Merger of Continental and United Airlines in to One Airline

flightsmaster.co.uk 26-10-2011: The successful merger between Delta and Northwest re-defined the future of aviation and provided a working proof that these mergers could work. Any airline executive that fails to appreciate the benefits is probably more concerned about job protection and/or ego than profitability.

United Airline

United Air Lines (UAL) is a major airline based in the United States and one of the world's largest airlines with 86,852 employees and 356 aircraft. Formerly, UAL Corporation, with corporate headquarters in Chicago. United's largest hub is Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. United also has hubs in Washington Dulles International Airport, Denver International Airport, San Francisco International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, and Narita International Airport near Tokyo. United is a founding member of the Star Alliance, the largest airline alliance in the world, and offers connections to over 1,000 destinations in over 170 countries worldwide. The airline's regional service is United Express.

Continental Airline

Continental Airlines (CO) is a major American airline based in Chicago, Illinois (previously based in Houston, Texas). Continental Airlines left the Sky Team alliance on October 24, 2009, and joined Star Alliance on October 27, 2009. Together with its subsidiaries, Continental has more than 2,423 daily departures, serving 130 domestic and 132 international destinations and has 42,210 employees as of December 2009. Since 1998, Continental's marketing slogan has been "Work Hard, Fly Right."

Continental and United Airlines Merger

Merging the two carriers has given both legacy carriers the opportunity to create a new and improved brand. There are two main areas that go a long way in defining an aviation brand: Service Delivery and Product Delivery, both very different entities. United and Continental are very different in both areas. How to best deliver a new product is something that's best left out of the boardroom. If management can successfully sell the merger to its staff they could potentially give the mash up of brands renewed life and lift the quality of standards throughout the entire organization.

Despite their massive route structures, the two carriers only have notable overlap on 13 routes. This overlap tends to support the belief that there will be minimal redundancies and job losses – particularly among non-flying check in roles, engineering and ground handling. Office employees and management likely have most to lose.

On May 2, 2010, the boards of directors at Continental Airlines and UAL Corp. approved a stock-swap deal that would combine them into the world's largest airline in revenue passenger miles and second largest in fleet size and destinations after Delta Air Lines. The new airline will take on the United Airlines name, Continental's logo, and be headquartered in Chicago. Once combined, United's largest hub will be in Houston. It will also be the largest carrier serving the New York City area via its hub at Newark Liberty International Airport. As of October 2011, the United hub airports that have completely rebranded are Chicago-O'Hare, San Francisco, and Denver. The Tokyo-Narita hub is currently in the first phase of rebranding leaving the Washington-Dulles hub the only airport that have not rebranded. The parent company of the new carrier will be called United Continental Holdings, Inc. The new United will be run by Continental's CEO, Jeffery Smisek, along with United Airline's CEO, Glenn Tilton, serving as non-executive Chairman of the board until his retirement two years hence.

On August 27, 2010, the U.S. Department of Justice approved the US$3 billion merger. Share holders of both companies approved the deal on September 17, 2010. The transaction was completed on October 1, 2010.

After merging Continental and United Airlines into one airline, the new airline name is now United Airlines and the code is UA.

• The Continental Code will be changed to UA code.
• All booking files or PNRs that contain Continental (CO) segments will be changed to UA segments.
• All Continental (CO) flight schedules and availability displays will be changed to UA.
• All Continental (CO) fares in fare display, fare quotes and shopping functionalities will be changed to UA.

For more authentic information please call our reservation experts on 02079936219 or visit website http://www.flightsmaster.co.uk/.

Kenya Airways introduces Eid holiday packages in UAE

Kenya Airways has launched special Eid Al Adha holiday packages for UAE customers through its holiday division, Kenya Airways Holidays.

Amongst the deals are a two-night Masai Mara Safari special for wildlife viewing, with prices starting from AED3850. In addition, an all-inclusion ‘Great Rift Valley’ package starts from AED5180 for three nights.

The holiday packages, which are available until the end of November 2011, have been designed and priced per person based on two people sharing a room.

“Eid is a time for celebration and an ideal time to celebrate it in Kenya…. And Kenya Airways has created a range of perfect offers to highlight Kenya’s spectacular nature, luxury and family experiences,” stated Abraham Joseph, Gulf, Middle East and Pakistan area manager for Kenya Airways.

“We look forward to welcoming individuals, couples and families to fly Kenya Airways during the Eid festive holidays and enjoy our high levels of service and hospitality,” he added.

For more details regarding Kenya Airways offers and booking cheap flights with Kenya Airways you can call our reservation experts on 02079936219 or explore our website http://www.cheapzimbabweflights.com/.

Air Zim Airbus Deal In Trouble

Harare-Zimbabwe: The Zimbabwean government is battling to register two airbus planes purchased early this year from Paris, France through a closely guarded deal between the government and a Chinese-Angolan joint venture company, China Sonangol, it has emerged.

Impeccable sources from Air Zimbabwe told that the government as the main shareholder was having some registration challenges to ensure that the planes can get to Zimbabwe.

“The team that visited France last month came back empty handed despite earlier commitments that the first delivery would be made before September 20, 2011. What I see as the biggest challenge is the issue of ownership of the planes because the management of Air Zimbabwe have no idea where the money to buy the planes is coming from,” said a source.
There is a lot of money involved, according to the source, and the government is not coming clean of the whole deal.
“The other solution was to have the planes registered through the Netherlands but it’s still not yet clear. The planes are a result of a deal with China Sonangol but the government is very quiet on it,” said the source.
However Air Zimbabwe board chairperson Jonathan Kadzura denied that the planes were being bought through a deal with Sonangol and denied to shed light.
“This certainly has nothing to do with Sonangol and because of the little information that I have, I can’t give you any further details,” said Kadzura before hanging his phone.
Air Zimbabwe acting chief executive officer Innocent Mavhunga declined to comment on the matter maintaining the matter was a shareholder issue.
“That is a shareholder issue and I can’t comment on that. I do not have any comments to make on that matter,” said Mavhunga.
In 2009 the government of Zimbabwe signed five deals with China Sonangol worth US$8 billion that were said would help the country see investment pour into various key sectors of the economy.
Key sectors that were said would benefit under the deal include mining and housing, among others.
The package was a culmination of a meeting between President Mugabe and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Egypt at the summit of the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation.

Kenya Airways Signs GECAS Deal for Two 777-300ERs

Kenya Airways has signed an agreement with GECAS, the commercial aircraft leasing and financing arm of General Electric, for two Boeing 777-300ERs.

The two aircraft are expected to join the Kenya Airways fleet in October 2013 and May 2014 respectively with them scheduled to operate long haul routes such as Amsterdam, Bangkok, Guangzhou and Dubai in order to maximise both passenger and cargo traffic.

“With the increased passenger and cargo capacity that the Boeing 777-300ER offers, we are pleased with this development as it will see Kenya Airways significantly increase tonnage and passenger capacity while enhancing our premium service offering to Europe and the Far East,” said Kenya Airways Chief Executive Officer and Group Managing Director Dr. Titus Naikuni. “This also speaks to Kenya Airways’ efforts of flying a more efficient and environmentally friendly fleet ... The B777-300ER aircraft will be operated by the same crew that fly the B777-200ER aircraft in our current fleet but we envisage that sufficient additional crew will be recruited and/or trained by the time the first aircraft arrive.”

Kenya Airways will configure its 777-300ER’s with approximately 400 seats which is an extra passenger capacity of about 78 passengers over the 777-200ER. In addition, the aircraft will offer higher volumetric cargo capacity of over 12 tonnes.

Bulawayo: Hwange National Park Tourist Information

Hwange National Park, Bulawayo is considered to be one of the greatest game reserves in the country of Zimbabwe. This is a very beautiful you can find in Bulawayo. The wonderful location of the Hwange National Park, Bulawayo adds further to the park's beauty. This famous Park is situated on the main road between the city of Bulawayo and the world famous Victoria Falls. The Hwange National Park, Bulawayo is one of the major attractions for the tourists visiting the beautiful city of Bulawayo.

Hwange National Park, Bulawayo was discovered around the year 1928 by a very young game ranger named Ted Davidson. At that time he was only 22 years old. Hwange National Park, Bulawayo extends over an area of over 14,600 square kilometers. An interesting feature of this park is that it has got a variety of landscapes. One part of the park is situated very close to the north eastern end of the Kalahari Desert. This desert area is extremely dry and has semi arid vegetation. The other part of the park lies in the southern part of the desert. This area is very sandy, covered with dense forest and has extensive open grassland. A very striking feature of this region is the ancient fossil dunes. These fossil dunes are a major attraction for the tourists.

Hwange National Park, Bulawayo is one of the greatest habitats for wildlife in Africa. The wildlife in the area is of a wide variety. You will find various species of animals here which are very unique in nature. The park has elephant, buffalo, zebra and large number of giraffes. The birdlife here is also amazing and is simply beautiful to look at. Hwange National Park, Bulawayo consists of 105 mammal species out of which there are 19 great herbivores and eight large carnivores. The biomass comprises innumerable elephants.

In the Hwange National Park in Bulawayo you will also find some specially protected animals of Zimbabwe. This park is the only protected place where you can find gemsbok and brown hyena which are rarely found. Here you will also get the scope to see wild dog. In Africa, they are the largest group in existence.

Getting to Bulawayo

You have to fly to Harare in Zimbabwe. After alighting at the Harare International airport catch a connecting cheap flights to Bulawayo. The airlines serving the airport are Air Zimbabwe, Air Botswana, Air Malawi, British Airways and South African Airways, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, TAAG Angola Airlines.

For authentic information for accommodation, hotels and booking cheap flights to Bulawayo you can call our reservation experts on 02079936219 or visit our website: http://cheapflightstobulawayo.com/. Alternatively you can also send us travel inquiries at sales@flightsmaster.co.uk.

Govt assumes Air Zim’s US$140mln debt

THE government will assume responsibility for Air Zimbabwe’s $140 million debt in a bid to help the technically insolvent flag-carrier back on its ‘wings’, Transport Minister Nicholas Goche has said.

The airline has been crippled by numerous operational problems including mounting debts, ageing aircraft, undercapitalization and labour disputes with key staff.

Goche said the government had agreed to takeover the debt and help find the company a technical partner.

“Last Thursday Cabinet … resolved that, Air Zimbabwe as a strategic Government asset and brand, needed to be preserved and supported as a going business concern,” Goche told The Herald.

“To this end, Government must assume Air Zimbabwe's current debt (currently standing at US$140 million) and ring fence the same."

Air Zimbabwe chief executive, Innocent Mavhunga recently urged government to help liquidate the airline’s huge debt pile comprising $112.7 million internal obligations and $25 million owed to institutions outside the country.

“Our cost of operating the business sits at about $6 to $7.5 million,” Mavhunga told Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on State Enterprises and Parastatals at a recent hearing.

Meanwhile, Goche said proceeds from the planned part-privatisation of the airline would be used to offset the debt while staff numbers would also be reduced to cut operating costs.

"In order to realise additional financing, there is urgent need to find a strategic partner for the national airline through private placement, that is, directly approaching would-be interested investors and forming a joint venture partnership," he said.

In addition, the National Handling Service (NHS), a subsidiary of the airline, would also be privatized to secure additional funds.

"Efforts to partially dispose of the National Handling Services should be pursued with urgency now in order to secure some financing from within the airline in order to avoid overburdening Treasury,” Goche said.

Local travellers to start paying Kenya Airways in US dollars

Kenyans will start paying for domestic flights in US dollars from next week, as Kenya Airways moves to protect its revenues from the volatile shilling.

The airline, which has been charging domestic flights in Kenya shillings, now says passengers will from October 24, be required to pay for tickets in dollars.

This means that passengers travelling on domestic routes, which include Mombasa, Malindi and Kisumu, will be affected, as majority of payments for these routes have relied on the Kenya shilling as opposed to international flights, whose prices are pegged on the US dollar.

Mobile money payment platforms that are currently operated in Kenya shillings could also be disrupted.

The move makes Kenya Airways the latest local firm to have lost patience with the shilling’s fluctuations.

“We always charge in dollars for international flights and this change is meant to protect the company from a fluctuating shilling,” the airline’s communications manager, Mr Chris Karanja, told Nation by phone.

However, its main domestic rival, Fly540, has chosen to stick with the shilling.

Last week, our sister publication the Business Daily reported that motor vehicle dealers, importers of heavy machinery and retailers of computers and other information technology hardware, had also started quoting prices of consumer goods in dollars, underscoring growing jitters over the weakening shilling and exposing the local unit to further erosion.

The Kenya shilling has been one of the worst performing currencies this year, after it fell to trade at Sh107 against the dollar, early this month.

However, it has turned around this week, gaining by over 8 per cent to close yesterday’s trading at Sh100.20/100.40 against the dollar but weaker than Tuesday’s close of 99.20/40.

Kenya Airways profits have been on the rise with last year’s results showing a 73.9 per cent increase in net profits to Sh3.5 billion, up from Sh2 billion earned in 2010.

Ethiopian Airlines launches new routes to Khartoum in Sudan

Ethiopian Airlines expanded its international network on 13 October by launching two new routes to the capital of neighbouring Sudan; Khartoum (KRT). Complementing its Addis Ababa service, the future Star Alliance member is now flying from the cities of Bahir Dar (BJR) and Mek’ele (MQX) in northern Ethiopia. The services, each measuring 700km, are operated four times weekly – on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays – with Q400 aircraft. Ethiopian’s CEO Tewolde Gebremariam commented: “Ethiopian Airlines has long been flying from Addis Ababa to Khartoum. The new direct flight services between Mek’ele, Khartoum and Bahir Dar will enhance the ever-increasing economic, social and political ties of the two nations. Tourists, business people and all other travellers from the Sudan and other parts of the world will now have an easy and direct link to the fascinating tourist destinations of Northern Ethiopia.”Ethiopian Airlines expanded its international network on 13 October by launching two new routes to the capital of neighbouring Sudan; Khartoum (KRT). Complementing its Addis Ababa service, the future Star Alliance member is now flying from the cities of Bahir Dar (BJR) and Mek’ele (MQX) in northern Ethiopia. The services, each measuring 700km, are operated four times weekly – on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays – with Q400 aircraft. Ethiopian’s CEO Tewolde Gebremariam commented: “Ethiopian Airlines has long been flying from Addis Ababa to Khartoum. The new direct flight services between Mek’ele, Khartoum and Bahir Dar will enhance the ever-increasing economic, social and political ties of the two nations. Tourists, business people and all other travellers from the Sudan aned other parts of the world will now have an easy and direct link to the fascinating tourist destinations of Northern Ethiopia.”

Singapore Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines sign codeshare deal

Singapore Airlines on Friday announced that its passengers will have the option of flying to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital city, through a codeshare agreement with future Star Alliance partner Ethiopian Airlines, starting November 1, 2011.

Under the agreement, SIA will add its 'SQ' code to Ethiopian-operated flights operating daily between Dubai and Addis Ababa and Ethiopian Airlines will add its 'ET' code to seven SIA-operated flights per week between Singapore and Dubai.

SIA serves Dubai with 11 flights per week.

Ethiopian Airlines is currently working towards enabling Singapore Airlines' KrisFlyer members to accrue frequent flyer miles when travelling on Ethiopian's flights. Ethiopian's Sheba Miles members will also be able to accrue miles when travelling on SIA's flights.

Air Zimbabwe now US$138 million in debt

Air Zimbabwe is losing US$3.5 million a month and currently has US$138 million of debt, according to the airline’s head, versus US$6 million of debt in 2006.

“Our cost of operating the business sits at about US$6 to US$7.5 million,” Air Zimbabwe Chief Executive Officer Innocent Mavhunga said on Tuesday, Radio VOP reports. “Our income is between US$2.5 and US$3.5 million. So simple mathematics would tell us there is a deficit averaging US$3.5 to US$5 million every month." He said that the state owned airline has US$137.7 million of debt, US$112.7 of which is owed to local creditors.

Mavhunga made the comments at Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on State Enterprises and Parastatals, which asked airline management to discuss the current state of affairs and explain how the airline will overcome its problems.

“On internal debt, statutory obligations to companies like the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority and the National Social Security Authority account for US$38 million, loans from the ministry of transport are up to US$26 million, deferred staff salaries and allowances are US$20 million plus US$12.3 million from our overdraft facility with our banks,” Mavhunga added.

“Our external debt comprises US$4.6 million to the International Air Transport Association and another US$4 million to Global Systems. We also owe our aircraft spares and parts suppliers some money and I think we have about US$5 to US$8 million for navigation services.”

Mavhunga said Air Zimbabwe’s dismal financial situation was due to sanctions and, during the era of the Zimbabwe dollar, the government’s refusal to charge in foreign currency. Other reasons for the airline’s poor performance were repeated pilot strikes, high operational costs from ageing aircraft, reduced passenger confidence in the airline and government interference.

“AirZim has been operating under a deficit since the 1990s and this worsened at the inception of the multiple currency regime,” Mavhunga siaid. “We have become less competitive, hence we have to price our fares slightly below our competitors.”

Several Air Zimbabwe aircraft were earlier this year grounded due to safety concerns and a leased aircraft was taken back after Air Zimbabwe could not pay for it. Of the airline’s fleet of eight aircraft, three are grounded. Such incidents have resulted in a big drop in passenger numbers and some Air Zimbabwe flights this year have flown almost completely empty.

Declining passenger numbers have forced the airline to reduce the number of destinations it services. It currently flies to Harare, Johannesburg, Lusaka, Bulawayo, Victoria Falls and Lubumbashi locally and Malaysia, China and the UK internationally.

Foreign carriers have been taking over the domestic market. “Our market share versus South African Airways is quite low. We control 30% of the Johannesburg route and market, whilst SAA accounts for about 50% of the market and British Airways slightly below 20%,” Mavhunga said.

Mavhunga said that Air Zimbabwe needs to be privatised and needs to retrench 400 employees from its bloated workforce of more than a thousand employees in order to cut costs. The airline consistently struggles to pay its workforce – something that has led to repeated pilot strikes. The airline last paid its workers in June.

“We immediately require US$40 million as working capital because we are operating on a cash-upfront basis with all our service providers and we need to service our creditors. We immediately need to restructure the airline, look at change management, recapitalise and inject a new fleet,” Mavhunga said, adding that it will take up to a year to overcome damage from the recent strikes.

The airline’s general manager Moses Mapanda told the parliamentary committee that attempts to assist Air Zimbabwe by encouraging government officials and MPs to travel on the state airline were not working. “If government officials do not support their own business, how does the shareholder expect Air Zimbabwe to survive?” he asked.

Kenya Airways inaugurates flights to Jeddah

The inaugural flight by Kenya Airways from Nairobi to Jeddah landed at King Abdulaziz International Airport on 19th October at 00:30 hrs with a full complement of passengers.

Present at the airport were a number of dignitaries, including H.E. Mohamud Saleh, The Ambassador of Kenya to the Kingdom, Mr Abraham Joseph, Kenya Airways Area Manager - Middle East & Pakistan amongst other executives from the airport authorities and Kenya Airways management team.

The aircraft was greeted on its arrival by the Jeddah airport authorities. They were later introduced to the captain and co-pilot.
Kenya Airways 331 then departed Nairobi at 01:45 hrs, arriving in Nairobi at 05:50 hrs. Also on board were members from Kenya Airways management team.
Commenting on the inaugural flight, Mr. Abraham Joseph, Area Manager - Middle East & Pakistan for Kenya Airways said, "Saudi Arabia is a very important market for Kenya Airways and an important addition to the airline's growing Middle East network. We are delighted to welcome Jeddah as the 56th destination in our global network, and we look forward to extending our hospitality to guests on this new service. The initial response to the launch has been extremely encouraging and we look forward to rapidly establishing our presence in the Saudi Arabian market."
In addition to Jeddah, Kenya Airways also operates 10 weekly flights to Dubai and 3 to Muscat, in the Gulf with convenient onward connections to several cities in the African continent.

Kenya Airways to acquire two Boeing 777-300 ER Aircrafts

Kenya Airways fleet modernisation and expansion programme received a boost when the airline signed an agreement with General Electric Capital Aviation Services, GECAS  the commercial aircraft leasing and financing arm of General Electric, for the delivery of two Boeing 777-300 Extended Range (ER) aircraft.

The two aircrafts are expected to be join Kenya Airways fleet in October 2013 and May 2014 respectively with the aircrafts scheduled to operate long haul routes including Amsterdam, Bangkok, Guangzhou and Dubai in order to maximise both passenger and cargo traffic.

“With the increased passenger and cargo capacity that the Boeing 777-300ER offers, we are pleased with this development as it will see Kenya Airways significantly increase tonnage and passenger capacity while enhancing our premium service offering to Europe and the Far East,” noted Kenya Airways Chief Executive Officer and  Group Managing Director Dr. Titus Naikuni.

“This also speaks to Kenya Airways’ efforts of flying a more efficient and environmentally friendly fleet,” he further added. The Boeing 777-300ER provides increased passenger and cargo capability at lower seat-mile cost for long range markets.
“The B777-300ER aircraft will be operated by the same crew that fly the B777-200ER aircraft in our current fleet but we envisage that sufficient additional crew will be recruited and/or trained by the time the first aircraft arrive,” said Dr. Naikuni

Today marks yet another milestone in our business relationship with Kenya Airways as they sign up for a 12 year Operating Lease for 2 new Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircrafts. GECAS and Kenya Airways have a relationship that dates back to the year 2000 when KQ signed the first agreement with GECAS for 3 Boeing 767-300ERs and we value the good business relationship that continues to grow from strength to strength,” said GE President and CEO for Africa, Jay Ireland.

He elaborated that “GE is focused on creating partnerships and providing a wide range of solutions that will support Kenya and the rest of Africa’s infrastructure transformation and industrial growth”.

Kenya Airways will configure its 777-300ER’s with approximately 400 seats which is an extra passenger capacity of about 78 passengers over the 777-200ER. In addition, the aircraft will offer higher volumetric cargo capacity of over 12 tonnes.
The Boeing 777 family is the world's most successful twin-engine, long-haul airplane. With a current operational fleet of four B777-200ER aircrafts, the addition of the B777-300ER’s will see the airlines 777 fleet grow to seven by the end 2014.
The 777-300ER extends the 777 family's span of capabilities, bringing twin-engine efficiency and reliability to the long-range markets. The B777-300ER aircraft has approximately 300 nautical miles more range than the B777-200ER. This makes the aircraft ideal for maturing or matured heavy passenger traffic routes, a thriving belly cargo business and routes which have restrictions on frequency.

In April this year, Kenya Airways and Boeing Commercial Airplanes reached an agreement on the order for nine Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircrafts with the first one expected to be delivered by the fourth quarter of 2013.

Air Zim Sinks Deeper In Debt

Harare, October 18, 2011 – Zimbabwe’s troubled national carrier Air Zimbabwe is operating at an appalling loss of US3,5 million a month while its debt has surged to nearly US$138, the airline’s boss has revealed.

“Our cost of operating the business sits at about US$6 to US$7,5 million,” Air Zimbabwe Chief Executive Officer Innocent Mavhunga said Tuesday.

“Our income is between US$2,5  and US$3,5 million. So simple mathematics would tell us there is a deficit averaging US$3,5 to US$5 million every month."
Mavhunga was presenting oral evidence before Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on State Enterprises and Parastatals chaired by Zvishavane-Runde legislator Larry Mavhima on the state of affairs at the airline.
Mavhunga said the parastatal’s debt to date is sitting at US$137,7 million.
He attributed this to government restrictions on charging in foreign currency during the Zim-Dollar era, shortage in foreign currency and “the devastating effects of sanctions” felt by the air line.
Of this debt, US$112,7 is owed to local creditors.
In 2006, Mavhunga said, the airline’s debt was sitting at US$6 million but ballooned over the last five years.
The Air Zimbabwe boss also cited a recurrent strike by the company pilots, high operational costs for its aging aircrafts, diminishing passenger confidence and continued interference into its operations by government as some of the factors militating against the smooth operations of the company.
Mavhuma said the impact brought by the recent prolonged strike on the airline will take up to a year to repair.
According to Mavhunga, Air Zimbabwe has seen a turnover of 12 successive CEOs in the past decade who have all failed to rescue the company from its worsening financial burden due to continued under capitalisation.
Currently, the airline is operating eight aircrafts and of these, three have been grounded due to the fact that they are now beyond service.
The airline is also trapped with a bloated workforce of over 1000 employees and is appealing for government funding to pay retrenchment packages to 400 employees most of whom have agreed to the retrenchment terms proposed by their employer.
Air Zimbabwe last paid its workers in June this year while the continued flight of passengers from the airline has forced it to shrink its destinations.
The airline is servicing three routes regionally namely Harare-Johannesburg, Harare-Lusaka, Harare-Lubumbashi.
Internationally, Air Zimbabwe flies from Harare to countries, Malaysia, China and London while flying from Harare to Bulawayo and Victoria Falls locally.
The Air Zimbabwe boss appealed to government to inherit the entire debt of the airline or give the airline at least US$40 million to restore viability in the next six months.

Lufthansa to introduce daily flights to Accra

The German Airline, Lufthansa, will from November 1st this year, increase its Accra/Frankfurt service from five weekly flights to a daily service with a brand new configured Boeing 737-800 Intercontinental, featuring Lufthansa‘s latest product.

A statement issued in Accra on Saturday by the airline said with the further enhancement of the flight schedule, travelers would enjoy greater flexibility and the convenience of a daily link with Lufthansa’s Frankfurt hub, one of the world’s leading gateways for air travel.

The statement quoted Mr. Yannick Aplogan, Lufthansa General Manager Ghana, as saying: “I am very pleased to announce the further enhancement of our service from Accra to our Frankfurt hub. For business travelers in particular the flexibility of a daily service is key.

 “At this point I would also like to thank the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) for their continued support.”

The statement said all flights would be nonstop operations.

It said passengers would enjoy the benefit of a late evening departure from Accra on all seven days of the week.

“All flights provide lean onward connections to Lufthansa destinations in Germany, numerous other European cities and a vast number of destinations in Lufthansa’s intercontinental network.”

The statement said in Canada, Lufthansa served some 20 destinations and countless more in cooperation with code share partners United Airlines and with affiliate JetBlue, in which Lufthansa had a 15.6 per cent equity stake.

Zimbabwe: ZTA to Withdrawing Five Hotels from RTG

Zimbabwe: THE Zimbabwe Tourism Authority is withdrawing five hotels from the Rainbow Tourism Group, as it moves to enhance its business thrust in line with its economic turnaround project.

In an interview here yesterday, ZTA chief executive Mr Karikoga Kaseke, said ZTA was withdrawing Rainbow Towers and New Ambassador Hotel in Harare, Rainbow Bulawayo, Rainbow Victoria Falls and a lodge in Hwange, as part of its new business thrust.

But RTG chief executive Mrs Chipo Mtasa said she was not aware of any such moves "so we have no comment to make".

Said Mr Kaseke: "We cannot be a tourism authority without a single hotel or lodge. We have made a decision to repossess Rainbow Towers, Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel, New Ambassador Hotel in Harare, Rainbow Hotel Victoria Falls and a lodge in Hwange. I can't name the lodge but it's a good one in Hwange.

"At the peak of the Economic Structural Adjustment Programme, the ZTA leadership of that time surrendered these facilities to the Ministry of Public Construction and they were leased out."

Asked if the ZTA had the capacity to run the hotel facilities, Mr Kaseke said it could subcontract someone to run or lease them out.

"We must make money out of those facilities. Even if we make US$100 000 a month from them, we will be fine," said Mr Kaseke.

He said the ZTA had already started working on the necessary modalities to ensure that the hotels become the ZTA's a cash cow. It had largely survived on Government grants and levies paid by the tourism and hospitality industry.

Mr Kaseke said it "made sense" to repossess the facilities since his organisation had, over the years, rebranded and repositioned itself to market, promote and develop the tourism industry.

ZTA, which hosts many local and international celebrities and media houses as part of its National Perception Management Programme, needs hotel and lodge facilities of varied sizes and comfort.

Over the years, ZTA has been either paying cash or relying on the benevolence of hoteliers to accommodate its visitors.

"As an authority we need to invest in the industry as well, so that we get first-hand experience on the situation on the ground.

"We need to work on serious investment projects elsewhere in the country's tourist resorts, so that we generate income for ourselves," said Mr Kaseke.

EgyptAir lags behind Jordanian, Libyan airlines

EgyptAir's business declined in the North Africa region after facing stiff competition from Jordanian and Libyan airlines. Two factors leading to the lost business is the fact that Jordanian Airlines is transporting Gazan pilgrims from Al Arish Airport to Jeddah and Libyan airlines is carrying passengers from Cairo to Benghazi.Ticket prices for a Cairo to Jeddah flights can be as much as 5,000 EGP (U.S. $837.50) while other airliners offer tickets at half that prices, sources claim.

Ethiopian commences direct flights from Mekele and BahirDar to Khartoum

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - Ethiopian Airlines is proud to announce that effective October 13, 2011 it has commenced direct international flights from Mekele and BahirDar to Khartoum. The new direct flights will enhance tourism and business travel between Northern Ethiopia and the Sudan thereby strengthening the existing cooperation between the people and governments of the two countries.

Mr. Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO of Ethiopian said, “Ethiopian Airlines has long been flying from Addis Ababa to Khartoum. The new direct flight services between Mekele, Khartoum and Bahir Dar will enhance the ever increasing economic, social and political ties of the two nations. Tourists, business people and all other travelers from the Sudan and other parts of the world will now have an easy and direct link to the fascinating tourist destinations of Northern Ethiopia.”

With the opening of the new direct flight services between Khartoum, Mekele and Bahir Dar, Ethiopian has developed incredible packages for tourists. Flying to Northern Ethiopia, tourists will visit the source of Blue Nile and Tisisat Falls found in Bahir Dar and the Nejashi Mosque, the first mosque in Africa built in the 7th century AD near Mekele. Tour packages developed in connection with this flight also include the breath taking Rift Valley lakes of Debre-Zeit and Awassa. 2

Ethiopian will provide the new flight services four days a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays Saturdays and Sundays using Bombardier Q-400 Aircraft.

SA Airways launches Airbus service to Harare

Zimbabwe’s economic recovery has just begun and will be key in the development of the Southern African region, South Africa’s ambassador to Zimbabwe Vusi Mavimbela has said.

Mavimbela was speaking at the launch an Airbus 330–200 service to Harare by South African Airways(SAA) yesterday.

The launch comes weeks after airline giant Emirates added Harare and Lusaka in Zambia as its newest destinations as part of its network expansion on the continent beginning in February next year.
Emirates will also be flying the same Airbus 330-200 aircraft.

Mavimbela said Zimbabwe and South Africa were joined by “a thousand umbilical cords” and the Airbus was going to further ensure the relations were strengthened.

“The indication that the volumes of passengers are increasing also indicates that the trade relations are strengthening and the launch of the Airbus can help facilitate trade links between the two countries,” said Mavimbela.

In a speech read on his behalf by the director of the transport management division in his ministry, Allowance Sango, the Minister Transport and Infrastructural Development Nicholas Goche said SAA had contributed positively to the development of the economy.

Zimbabwe to host UN world tourism event

ZIMBABWE and Zambia have won the bid to co-host the 2013 United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly  in Victoria Falls.

Tourism and Hospitality Minister Walter Mzembi’s (pictured) dream of hosting such an event came true. He made the pledge in 2009, three months into his current role, that he wanted to see such a landmark event hosted in the country.

He also said he wanted to see Zimbabwe “join the family of nations” by hosting the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) in Victoria Falls in 2012, among other notable events.

This dream has now come to fruition.

The victory makes it the second time for Africa to host the event after Senegal did so in 2005.

The proclamation by UNWTO secretary general Talib Rifai yesterday morning came a day after he declared that the Zimbabwe/Zambia bid was the only serious, complete and comprehensive one, beating bids submitted by powerhouses like Russia, Turkey, Jordan and Qatar.

“Since Zimbabwe and Zambia deposited their bid with us at our headquarters in Madrid, Spain, about two months ago, we were very worried and we studied it carefully. After three or four days, we realised that the bid was complete, comprehensive and serious.

“It was a good job well done and well explained. There was no question of any sort that was not answered.

“Throughout this 19th Session of the UNWTO here in South Korea, I tried by all means to refrain myself from announcing the Zimbabwe/Zambia win, since even my own country of origin, Jordan was bidding.

“So this bid has gone to Africa. It is gone to Zambia and Zimbabwe. I am personally eagerly awaiting the opportunity to be at the Victoria Falls for the UNWTO. Zimbabwe and Zambia become the second hosts in Africa to win the bid after Senegal in 2005.

“Therefore, Senegal should help Zimbabwe and Zambia organise the event to international standards,” said Mr Rifai at the close of the UNWTO assembly, here.

The Zimbabwean delegation, led by Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Walter Mzembi and Zimbabwe Tourism Authority chief executive Karikoga Kaseke, celebrated with their Zambian counterparts led by Tourism and Information Minister Given Lubinda.

Added Rifai : “UNWTO is the only UN organ that holds its general assembly away from its headquarters in Madrid, Spain. I am aware that the general assembly creates jobs, endorses brands and brings people together through wider networking.”

Co-hosting Ministers Mzembi and Lubinda, said they will immediately inform their principals back home of the victory and work should start immediately to ensure the hosting becomes a success.

“We take this opportunity to invite the UNWTO secretariat, member states and affiliate members and others with experience in hosting the UNWTO General assembly and other similar events to provide technical and other assistance to our two governments and to our joint planning teams preparing for the 20th UNWTO General Assembly.

“We will immediately proceed to brief our principals in detail and embark on the way forward on the hosting of the 20th session of the UNWTO General Assembly.

“We also take this opportunity to welcome all member countries of the UNWTO to the mighty Victoria Falls in 2013. We promise them a uniquely African 20th session,” said the two ministers in a communiqué.

Minister Mzembi said: “Zimbabwe is a comeback kid and has modest and peaceful people. We are governing by consensus.

“We are dealing with our political problems from within and are happy about our progress. We are communicating a message of peace and tranquility.

“Zimbabwe and Zambia will be waiting to host you. Come and we will show you your new home. This is the real Africa and African hospitality. Nothing beats what we will show you.”

Secretary for Tourism and Hospitality Industry Dr Sylvester Maunganidze and Zimbabwe Immigration boss Clemence Masango are among dignitaries.

The bid will bring 176 countries to Victoria Falls, the largest world gathering of countries in Zimbabwe since the Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Meeting held in the resort town, about two decades ago.

The hosting will be the biggest endorser of the new brand, Zimbabwe a World of Wonders and a serious enabler of the tourism and hospitality industries.

Ethiopia launches flight to Khartoum from the North

Ethiopian Airlines began direct flights from Ethiopia’s northern regions to the Sudanese capital Khartoum on Thursday. It was announced that the new flight will takeoff to Khartoum from Bahir Dar, capital to the Amhara Regional State and Tigray's Regional State Capital, Mekelle.

Ethiopian Airlines announced that the new flight services will run four days a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays and Sundays using Bombardier Q-400 Aircraft.

It is expected that the new direct flights will boost tourism and business travel between Northern Ethiopia and Sudan according to a press statement. The increase in relations will also strengthen the existing cooperation between the two countries the statement added.

“Ethiopian has long been flying from Addis Ababa to Khartoum and the new flight will enhance the ever increasing socio-economic and political ties of the two nations” said Tewolde Gebremariam CEO of Ethiopian Airlines.  

The new flights will be one of the first international routes Ethiopian Airlines will operate out of regional airport. The only other flight that takes off from an airport other than Bole International airport is the regular route to Djibouti from Dire Dawa.

South African Airways capitalises on AirZim’s woes

South African Airways has increased its seating capacity on the Johannesburg-Harare route through the introduction of the Airbus 330-200. SAA, which recently reduced its airfares for eight destinations, including the Harare Johannesburg route as a way of consolidating its market share in Zimbabwe, is one of the biggest beneficiaries of the operational problems at Air Zimbabwe.

At the launch of the A330-200 at Harare International Airport yesterday, SAA country manager for Zimbabwe Winnie Mudariki said there had been great demand on the Harare-Johannesburg route and the new aircraft will provide efficiencies to support the airline’s profitability and growth strategies.

She said the new airbus has a seating capacity of 253 passengers compared to 157 on the A 319. The new plane seats 36 passengers in business class and 186 in economy.

SAA flights have now increased to 21 a week from 14, while flights on the Victoria Falls route were 7 weekly.
Director of transport in the Ministry of Transport and Communications, Allowance Sango, concurred with Mudariki that there had been a gradual increase in demand on the route.

He noted that last year, SAA seats had started off at 3 920 per week, risen to 4 390 and ended the year in December at 5 264. This year, seats had increased to 5 394.  Demand on the Vic Falls route had also increased to 1 680 seats from December’s 1 162.  

The move to introduce the larger airbus comes after a number of airlines have expressed interest to service the Zimbabwe route.  Emirates airline, which will ply the Zimbabwe-Zambia-Dubai route next year, will also operate an A330-200 aircraft.

South Africa’s ambassador to Zimbabwe Vusi Mavimbela acknowledged the competitiveness of the environment but said that the launch indicates that SAA is riding the storm of the economic crisis when other airlines are cutting back. 

He said that Zimbabwe will play a crucial role in the development of the region in future, and as such, its transport infrastructure needed to improve.

Bulawayo Accommodation: Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel, Bulawayo

The location of the Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel, Bulawayo is very beautiful. This hotel is located in the Central Business District of the city of Bulawayo in Zimbabwe. Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel, Bulawayo is very affordable and provides comfortable accommodation facilities to its guests. It is situated very close to the beautiful Matopos National Park, Chipangali Wildlife Orphanage and the Natural History Museum. Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel in Bulawayo is one of the most popular hotels of the city.

Accommodation in Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel, Bulawayo

This is one of the best hotels you can look forward to stay while you are in Bulawayo. It will provide you with excellent accommodation facilities. Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel, Bulawayo ensures that they provide their guests with maximum comfort and luxury. The hotel has 172 well decorated rooms. All the rooms in this hotel are very comfortable and elegant. They are well equipped with modern facilities. The room facilities at the hotel include:

• En suite bathrooms
• Radio channels
• Telephones
• Air conditioning
• Cable Satellite T V
• Electric shaving plugs
• Adaptors
• Room service

Dining in Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel

If you want to have some delicious and tasty food you can visit the Loziba Restaurant The restaurant is within the premises of the Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel,. This restaurant serves their guests with quality food at a reasonable price. The Loziba Restaurant can accommodate about 84 guests. Here you will get excellent English as well as Continental breakfast. If you visit this restaurant on Wednesday and Friday you can taste some traditional mouth watering cuisines. A variety of beverages are also available here.

Business and Conference Facilities

Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel in Bulawayo has conference rooms which are suitable for all kinds of business meetings, conferences and conventions. The meeting rooms are equipped with all kinds of modern audio visual equipments. Some of the extra facilities available at these conference rooms are –

• Morning tea, coffee with sandwiches, cakes
• Buffet lunch
• Afternoon tea, coffee with cakes, biscuits
• Conference supplies such as pens, pads, flip chart and markers

Other Facilities and Services

Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel, Bulawayo also offers its guests with a variety of other facilities like –

• Safety deposit boxes at Reception
• 24 hrs guarded parking lot
• Secretariat Office for conferences
• Business Centre
• Ironing facilities
• Overnight laundry
• Car Parking
• Nail bar

Getting to Bulawayo

You have to fly to Harare in Zimbabwe. After alighting at the Harare International airport catch a connecting flight to Bulawayo. The airlines serving the airport are Air Zimbabwe, Air Botswana, Air Malawi, British Airways and South African Airways, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, TAAG Angola Airlines.

For authentic information for accommodation, hotels and booking cheap flights to Bulawayo you can call our reservation experts on 02079936219 or visit our website: http://cheapflightstobulawayo.com/. Alternatively you can also send us travel inquiries at sales@flightsmaster.co.uk.

Air Zimbabwe faces contempt charges

AIR Zimbabwe management faces contempt of Parliament charges after it failed to appear before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on State Enterprises and Parastatals.

They were given a final warning following the management’s failure to turn up before the committee on two successive occasions.

The State Enterprises and Parastatals Management Parliamentary Portfolio Committee chairperson, Larry Mavhima said the committee has been disappointed by the conduct of Air Zimbabwe in boycotting parliamentary business and warned that if they fail to turn up on the final request they risk prosecution by parliament.

The parliamentary committee has since set the 26th of this month (October) as the final date the Air Zimbabwe management should appear before the committee.

“Parliament business has been disrupted by two weeks as a result of the boycott and attributed the actions of the Air Zimbabwe management to a lack of understanding, of parliamentary business and powers,” said Mavhima.

According to the Parliamentary Privileges Act, parliament has the power to prosecute and convict anyone found guilt of contempt.

In 2004, MDC-T Senator and fundraiser Roy Bennet was jailed for a year after being found guilty of breaking parliamentary rules following his assault of the then Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Patrick Chinamasa during a land debate.

Air Zim mishap leaves Mugabe stranded

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe and his delegation found themselves with a few extra days in the Big Apple after a chartered Air Zimbabwe plane sent to pick them up burst its tyres when landing in New York.

The Zimbabwean leader — along with scores of his allies — are banned from travelling to Western capitals after they were slapped with sanctions by the US and European Union over allegations of rights abuses and electoral fraud.

He left the country on September 17 to attend the 66th session of the UN General Assembly but was forced to put off his return home after the Air Zimbabwe plane burst four rear tyres when landing at an airport in New York.

Air Zimbabwe board Chairman, Jonathan Kadzura, confirmed mishap in an interview with The Standard but refused to give further details.

“It’s nothing serious, it’s not as magnified as you want it to sound,� Kadzura told the newspaper. “The plane’s tyres got punctured on landing and we are working on replacing them.

The national airline resumed local and international flights last week after a strike by pilots that grounded its planes for almost two months.

Government gave the cash strapped airline US$2.8 million as it sought to end the job boycott that has crippled the country’s tourism industry.