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embarked on a strike three weeks ago, demanding outstanding allowances and wages, which stretch back to June this year.
In an interview on Monday, Airzim board chairman Mr Jonathan Kadzura said his team was working flat out to source funding.
“Government has been reluctant to come in and the airline will have to find its way. We have been trying all along and we continue to look for the money elsewhere,” he said.
Meanwhile, Airzim workers who have been stranded in Malaysia for the past three weeks alleged that the national airline had not taken care of them to their satisfaction.
A source that spoke on condition that he is not named said they had been chucked out of a hotel after the national airline failed to pay their accommodation fee.
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“They (Airzim) did nothing to help for the three weeks we have been here. We have not received any allowances and no food. We even got chucked out from the hotel at some point.
“Air Zimbabwe has lost a lot of money in booking passengers in hotels and re-routing them while it is not making money,” said the source.
Another worker said the national airline was paying about US$60 per room per day though sometimes discounted at Grand Seasons hotel in Kuala Lumpar.
“Air Zimbabwe has only been providing us with accommodation without food and they told us to find our own food but did not give us any money. Honestly, how do they expect us to buy the food when we don’t have the money?
“At least we are happy that we are now coming back to Zimbabwe after they booked us on Air Malaysia,” said the source.
However, acting Airzim chief executive officer, Mr Innocent Mavhunga dismissed the allegations saying they were inaccurate.
“What they are saying is not correct. While we appreciate that we don’t have adequate financial resources, we have certainly taken care of our staff, maybe not what they would have expected had things been well,” he said.
Mr Mavhunga said the national airline had started bringing back home some of their staff and passengers.
He said the strike had impacted heavily on the national airline’s financial status.
Airzim’s board and management have indicated that for their business to be viable, they would have to downsize their staff complement from about 1200 to 409.
Online Reporter