Air Zimbabwe has revealed it is finalizing a process to receive IATA membership within the next 3 months.
The national airline, which has been executing a reconstruction plan to slow down and ultimately end years of financial underperformance is counting on IATA membership to further enhance its outlook for the future.
Speaking in Dubai on the sidelines on the world expo, CEO Joseph Makonese said: “Once we are a member, we will be able to get into alliances and business sharing models with other airlines..”
“…It is critical to join the IATA clearing House in order to be able to contribute to the global aviation distribution system.”
The airline is also looking at a new fleet plan with the two Boeing 777 aircraft having been grounded for years and costing the airline dearly. The CEO hopes the airline can find lease options for the short term with the long-term plan being to convert them to freighters
“We are not in a position to operate them now before we consolidate on the domestic or regional. So, as a short-term plan, we want to lease those aircraft either as wet-lease or dry-lease and we invite investors interested in those. The long-term plan is to convert either one or all of them, into cargo aircraft,” he said
