AIR Zimbabwe’s acting chief executive has warned the airline would not resume suspended flights until the government takes over its US$140 million debt as workers demanded the resignation of the entire board and management team for running the airline down.
The cash-strapped airline recently grounded flights to the United Kingdom and South Africa to prevent the seizure of aircraft by creditors after two planes were impounded there over unpaid debts.
Domestic flights were also suspended this week after the airline's sole operating Boeing 737-500 aircraft developed an engine problem.
But acting chief executive, Innocent Mavhunga threatened not to resume the regional and international flights until the government takes over the airline’s debt.
"Those flights will remain suspended until maybe the end of January while some logistics are being worked out," Mavhunga told the state-run Herald newspaper.
"We are hoping that Government would have implemented Cabinet decisions on Airzim like the debt take-over and restructuring.
"If the decisions are not implemented then certainly we won't be resuming those flights."
Meanwhile, workers said Mavhunga and his entire management team should be sacked for failing to pay outstanding salaries and retrenchment packages as well as running down the airline.
Mavhunga confirmed that some of the workers held a demonstration at the company’s Harare International Airport offices Thursday.
"Yes there were employees siting-in at the offices demanding to be paid," he said.
"We certainly appreciate the difficulties and challenges of school fees they are facing. The position is that we have presented the case to the shareholder and we are awaiting a response."
Some of the workers said they had been shocked by Transport and Communication Minister, Nicholas Goche’s suggestion that they use letters written by the company promising to pay their salaries to negotiate with utilities such as ZESA and schools over the payment of fees.
"The minister said we would take the letters to institutions we owe money as individuals, including Zesa, schools and City of Harare," Samson Meki who has worked for Air Zimbabwe over the last 49 years.
"The letters would be assurance to the institutions that Air Zimbabwe would eventually give us our salaries.
"You cannot use a letter to buy groceries in a supermarket. They cannot accept the assurance letters to enable us to purchase groceries.”
Meki said workers had had electricity and water supplies cut off adding colleagues were also dying because the could not pay medical bills.
"People are dying due to lack of medical care. Every week we are burying colleagues, with the company only providing a coffin and transport," he said.