Govt urged to license local airlines

ongoing exercise to empower locals, an expert said recently.
Few indigenous people are operating charter companies although they have capacity to run airliners.
Central Air Transport Services (CATS), managing director Captain Oscar Madombwe said to the process and requirements to operate an airliner were prohibitive.
“The requirements do not favour upcoming business people. Airplanes, which are more than 20-years-old, are not allowed to fly in the country,” he said. “This is hindering local players since new planes are costly.”
Captain Madombwe said some of the airliners plying the Zimbabwean airspace were more than 20-years-old.
“The Government is protecting the interest of foreigners. The planes should only be adequately serviced,” Captain Madombwe said.
To bring in a new plane requires a minimum of between US$2,5 million and US$3 million.
He said the way the government controlled the aviation sector through various regulations was also prohibitive.
“When locals apply Route Right they are offered less lucrative routes like Harare-Mutare and Harare-Masvingo, which still need development,” he said.
“The foreign players currently plying our space are actually taking revenue away from Zimbabwe,” he said, adding that competition was the way to go.
Commenting on the same issue, Sol Air managing director Nkosilathi Sibanda said the Government and Civil Aviation Authority implement the open sky policy to promote entry of indigenous players.
Air Zimbabwe is the country’s sole airliner although it is struggling due to a huge debt overhang and lack of working capital. – New Ziana.