HARARE –A Zanu PF MP on Wednesday challenged finance minister Mthuli Ncube to direct ministers and heads of parastatals to book their flights through Air Zimbabwe as the airline resumed flights between Harare and Johannesburg.

The airline suspended regional flights in January after the coronavirus reduced air travel demand.

Ncube on Wednesday claimed Air Zimbabwe was debt-free after the government assumed its debts of US$379 million.

Of that, US$30 million were foreign obligations and US$349 million was owed to local creditors. A currency change, however, means the US$349 domestic debt can be settled in the Zimbabwe dollar at a discredited exchange rate of 1:86, substantially reducing the debt.

Ncube said: “The load factor factor is good at 41 out of 50 people for Air Zimbabwe’s relaunch flight today to Johannesburg. The airline is now solvent after government intervention and support.”

Air Zimbabwe’s interim board chairman Andrew Bvumbe said the airline had settled an undisclosed debt with the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) which, in 2019, impounded Air Zimbabwe’s Boing 767 jet at OR Tambo International Airport.

Bvumbe said: “We’re really excited that we are resuming the Harare-Johannesburg flights as a result of extinguishing the debt with South African authorities which shows the great path we have travelled in making sure that the national carrier is part and parcel of the economy’s development drive.”

The route will be serviced by an Embraer ERJ 145 which is much cheaper to maintain than Air Zimbabwe’s ageing Boeing 737 and 767 fleet.

The Embraer does not have business class seats, however, which could push Zimbabwe’s business and political elites to opt for British Airways-Comair, Airlink or the returning South African Airways which have larger aircraft.

Zanu PF MP Pupurai Togarepi said Air Zimbabwe’s viability required a deliberate government move to compel officials to use the airline as a first choice.

“I hope all our government and business executives on the same route will use Air Zimbabwe next time they travel,” Togarepi tweeted while tagging Ncube.

One-way flights between Harare and Johannesburg start from US$160 and US$250 return, Air Zimbabwe said. The introductory offer makes Air Zimbabwe the cheapest airline on the route.

Initially, Air Zimbabwe says it will fly return flights to Johannesburg on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.