► UNITED KINGDOM: Air Zimbabwe pushes back London flights to November as 767s await refurbishment.

Air Zimbabwe (UM) says direct Harare - London Gatwick flights, originally meant to launch from July 1 but now removed from the GDS, will now resume in November once their two 767-200ERs have been refurbished.

Air Zimbabwe 767 (Paul Spijkers)

In an interview with government mouth-piece, The Herald, Air Zimbabwe acting group chief executive, Mr Innocent Mavhunga, said that the Boeing 767s were "still in good condition to ply international routes". He, however, did not say where, when or with whom the refurbishment would be carried out, but said it depended on the company doing the work, which "takes a month." 

Following years of decline, Air Zimbabwe's long haul inflight product suffered greatly with passengers often having complained about the lack of any form of on-board entertainment on long haul flights.

He pointed out plans were being put in place to make sure that when they resume servicing the routes, "the equipment would be competitive."

Meanwhile, regarding the Embraer 145, Air Zimbabwe's chairman Mr Ozias Bvute last week said the newly acquired planes had seen the airline's fuel costs going down by 45 percent.