Stranded Air Zimbabwe Passengers Likely To Spend Christmas At UK Airport

Air Zimbabwe Acting Chief Executive Officer, Innocent Mavhunga could not say when the stranded passengers would be able to fly home.

“We are hoping to bring them before Christmas, it is not in our interest to have them spend Christmas there,” said Mavhunga on Thursday.

The stranded passengers have since written a letter to the airline management and the Minister of Transport and Communications Nicholas Goche, complaining about their ill treatment.

They gave Air Zimbabwe an ultimatum to fly them home or either re-route them or refund their money and pay for the extra expenses that they incurred while waiting to be flown home.

American General Supplies (AGS), a United States firm impounded the aircraft, a Boeing 767 at Gatwick last week for a long-standing debt of over a million dollars.

Although Air Zimbabwe is reported to have since paid the outstanding amount, there are reports that there are other debtors who are lined up to confiscate the plan to force Air Zimbabwe to pay its debts.

The airline has not been able to refund its passengers.

Mavhunga said if they fail to handle the situation before Christmas passengers will have to take other alternatives.

“It is either they will have to go back to their homes or we route or refund them,” he said.

“We are still trying to sort out some logistics so the plane comes to Zimbabwe before Christmas,” added Mavhunga.