Air Zimbabwe has taken delivery of its second Boeing 777-200ER, following receipt of the first in January. Taken from Malaysia Airlines, the loss-making and heavily indebted carrier is considering leasing them. Air Zimbabwe has an active fleet of two aircraft. Her Embraer 145 is currently in C-check in South Africa.
Air Zimbabwe's second Boeing 777-200ER (Z-NBE, msn 28422) has finally arrived. The 282-seater plane was picked up on Saturday (October 3) at Harare's Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport by Zimbabwe's Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development Biggie Matiza. It joins the first aircraft in the same segment received by the national carrier last January.
The two planes came from a lease order negotiated by former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe with Malaysia Airlines while he was still in office. They were originally intended for Zimbabwe Airways, the future national carrier disbanded by current head of state Emmerson Mnangagwa. Its assets were eventually transferred to Air Zimbabwe.
In February, Reggie Saruchera of Grant Thornton, director of the loss-making carrier, reported that nine companies have already expressed interest in leasing the two 777-200ERs. 'Activation of this lease will provide the foreign currency income necessary for Air Zimbabwe to expand its current aircraft fleet with an option to purchase or lease smaller aircraft,' he argued.
Air Zimbabwe currently operates a 767-200 (Z-WPF) and a 737-200 (Z-WPA). She is awaiting the return of her only Embraer ERJ145, sent to South Africa for a C-Check. Its decommissioned fleet includes one 767-200, one 737-200, three MA60s and two A320-200s.