Just driving to Robert Mugabe International Airport breaks my heart. Air Zimbabwe was once the pride of the nation a carrier that symbolised reliability, safety and world-class service. Its fleet, although modest, flew the Zimbabwean flag across Africa, Europe and Asia with distinction. At the heart of its success was an internal training structure that produced some of the best pilots, engineers, cabin crew and ground staff in the region. Young Zimbabweans were recruited, trained and moulded into professionals who carried the airline’s reputation with pride. Many of these staff rose through the ranks, committed not just to their careers but to the company’s long-term vision.
However, years of political interference, mismanagement and blatant corruption slowly eroded that vision. Key decisions were driven by political expediency rather than sound business practice. Funds meant for maintenance, staff development and fleet renewal disappeared into misappropriation and poor deals. Aircraft became outdated, schedules unreliable, and customer confidence plummeted.
As the airline’s financial woes deepened, routes were cut, salaries went unpaid and highly trained staff products of its own rigorous programmes sought opportunities abroad. Ironically, the same workforce that once gave Air Zimbabwe its competitive edge is now scattered across the global aviation industry, lending their skills to Emirates, Qatar Airways, British Airways, and other thriving carriers.
The demise of Air Zimbabwe is not merely the story of a company’s collapse, it is the loss of an entire institutional culture that invested in its people and in turn reaped loyalty and professionalism. Reviving the airline will take more than new planes it will require rebuilding trust, implementing competent management and reinstating the training structures that produced its finest talent. Without that, the name “Air Zimbabwe” will remain a nostalgic memory rather than a national asset.
Engineer Jacob Kudzayi Mutisi
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