BULAWAYO – Struggling state-owned airline Air Zimbabwe is to retrench a further 468 workers this year in an effort to recover from its current financial crisis.

Air Zimbabwe is currently broke and last year it laid off 700 workers with whom it became locked in a bitter labour dispute. The workers fiercely resisted involuntary leave ranging from three to 12 months. The airline has already cancelled most of its regional and international flights due to shortage of funds to buy fuel and spare parts.

“Air Zimbabwe has a total number of 1 500 staff. This number is very abnormal when compared to our operational costs. As such, the board members agreed that a retrenchment exercise should be carried out to avoid unnecessary cost and expense. Therefore, we decided that 468 should be relieved of their duties,” Jonathan Kadzura, Air Zimbabwe board chairman, said

Kadzura also said:” There is urgent need for new engines for our planes. The three MA60s are now on the verge of collapse and need urgent attention”.

Air Zimbabwe has over the past decade relied on government handouts, mostly from the controversial Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor Gideon Gono, to run its ageing fleet. The Chinese-built MA60s are the airline’s newest aircraft.

Last year Finance Minister Tendai Biti said the airline had been draining a total of US$3 million per week from the fiscus.