JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – Air Zimbabwe’s only serviceable plane has been impounded by the Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) over an unpaid debt.
The plane was seized at OR Tambo International Airport on Wednesday, the airline’s spokesman Tafadzwa Mazonde said.
The broke airline owes ACSA payments for landing, parking and passenger service fees for flights into Johannesburg.
“That’s what is happening. It’s a temporary suspension over a cumulative debt. We’re in discussion with our shareholder (government of Zimbabwe) and we’re hopeful that we’ll find a solution,” Mazonde said, according to TimesLIVE.
The seizure of the plane forced the airline to cancel its Johannesburg-Harare flight on Wednesday evening. The aircraft also flies to Bulawayo and Victoria Falls before turning back to Harare every morning to fly Johannesburg passengers and position for the evening flight back to Harare.
It is not the first tie Air Zimbabwe has had aircraft seized by creditors. Bid Air Services of South Africa and American General Suppliers in London previously applied to attach their planes for non-payment of debts. Air Zimbabwe was forced to discontinue the London flight as its debts, now estimated at US$300 million, mounted.
The seizure of the aircraft adds to the woes of the airline which has over the years broken records, including flying with only one passenger, as it struggles to restore customer confidence after successive years of mismanagement.
