Confidential information given to The Zimbabwean shows that IATA gave what is seen as final notice to Air Zimbabwe to service a debt in excess of US$100 million, and address “unacceptable poor levels of aviation operations”.
Most IATA members have raised concerns about the operating environment in Zimbabwe and a number have already pulled out.
“We are in a very precarious situation and unless something is done urgently the majority of IATA members are about to remove us as a business partner,” a senior official from Air Zimbabwe said.
Investigations by this paper revealed that the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) was making last-ditch efforts to raise forex to settle the IATA bill. “But the amount is just too much, also given that the bank is faced with several other pressing requirements,” an RBZ source said.
Minister of transport and communications Chris Mushowe declined to discuss the matter with this paper and referred questions to Air Zimbabwe, where management was evasive. – Itai Dzamara
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