Air Zimbabwe Pvt Ltd has secured an A320 airbus for leasing as Government intensified efforts to revive the fortunes of the national airline.

Transport, Communications and Infrastructural Development Minister Nicholas Goche told The Herald last week that Air Zimbabwe took delivery of the new plane way before Government disbanded the company.

Government last week dissolved Air   Zimbabwe Holdings and formed a new State-owned company, Air Zimbabwe Pvt Ltd. An interim board to oversee the operations of the new company was immediately set up. Transport, Communication and Infrastructural Development permanent secretary Mr Patson Mbiriri chairs the interim board.

Following the changes at the national airline, National Handling Services — subsidiary of former Air Zimbabwe Holdings — will now operate as a stand-alone company. Minister Goche said the new A320 airbus would be part of Air Zimbabwe’s regional fleet.

Said Minister Goche: “Yes I can confirm that it is not a rumour that we have ‘acquired’ an A320 airbus but it is only for the purpose of leasing. It has been here for a while and it will be part of Air Zimbabwe’s regional fleet. “Air Zimbabwe’s old planes may not be part of the regional and international fleet as they will service local routes.”

Government, Minister Goche said, wanted to sort out all problems facing Air Zimbabwe to curb inconveniences caused to travellers. “We do not want a situation where Air Zimbabwe can resume operations and suddenly suspend them.

‘‘We want Air Zimbabwe to restore its customers’ confidence,” he said. Minister Goche said Air Zimbabwe would not introduce new routes when it resumes its flights. He said the national airline already had profitable routes.

Minister Goche said several international airlines were keen to come to Zimbabwe, adding that Air Namibia would resume its flights to Harare next month.

The coming in of Air Namibia would add to Emirates, which started flying to Harare last month.

“Air Namibia will resume its flights to Harare in April. We still have offers from other airlines that want to come to Zimbabwe,” he said.

It has also been reported that Precision Air of Tanzania is visiting the country this week for consultations with stakeholders in the aviation sector.

Precision Air of Tanzania’s sales manager Tuntufye Mambusi told Zimbabwean aviation and tourism officials in Berlin, Germany, recently that they wanted to deploy their recently acquired Boeing 737 on the Harare-Dar es Salaam route. Air Zimbabwe suspended its operations due to financial challenges. The national airline is riddled with a US$150 million debt. Of the US$150 million, US$30 million is owed to foreign creditors.

Air Zimbabwe was also plagued by a series of industrial actions after failing to pay its workers. The workers are owed salaries for over three months. Air Zimbabwe workers demanded that the Jonathan Kadzura-led board should resign as part of restructuring the national airline.

In January, an Air Zimbabwe plane was impounded in London by an American firm over a US$1 million debt. The plane was only released after Government intervened to offset the debt.