AIR ZIMBABWE has pleaded with its striking pilots to return to the cockpit after an earlier threat to sack those involved failed to end the job action.

The national carrier’s 45 pilots went on strike during the week and vowed not to fly until the cash-strapped airline paid over US$3 million in outstanding allowances.

Air Zim board chairman, Jonathan Kadzura, gave the striking pilots a 24-hour deadline to return to work on Thursday warning those who failed to comply would face “disciplinary action”.

However, as the strike continued on Friday amid reports the airline was losing US$350,000 a day while up to 1,000 passengers had been inconvenienced, the state-run company was forced to change tact.

Chief executive, Peter Chigumba told the pilots they “had made their point” and urged them to return to work.

“Boys and girls get back to the cockpit. Zimbabwe does not have another airline,” Chigumba said.

“Do not hold the shareholder and our customers at ransom. I have no doubt, sooner or later they will be back.”

The Air Zim boss said the airline was hemorrhaging badly needed cash due to the job action.

The company has been forced to book stranded passengers onto other airlines as well as lease planes to ply some of its routes.

Chigumba said the strike was only benefiting the airline’s competitors.

Meanwhile, the pilots say the allowances have been outstanding since February last year and insist they will not return to work until Air Zim pays up.

"We're not prepared to continue working for peanuts. We're saying: Pay us what you owe us," one pilot said.