Financial Gazette (Harare)
23 April 2008
Harare — AIR Zimbabwe last week more than trebled airfares as it battles to stay afloat and mitigate a debilitating crisis that could ground operations.
An airline spokesperson said the increases were due to escalating operational costs.
"We have increased our fares with immediate effect, with an average increase of 350 percent," the spokesperson told The Financial Gazette.
A Harare/Bulawayo return air ticket now costs $5 689 500 000, up from $1 281 800 000.
The Harare/Johannesburg return air ticket went up to $14 138 200 000 from $2 844 000 000, while a return ticket for the Harare/Beijing route, which was $19 364 900 000, now costs $81 735 000 000.
Air Zimbabwe is battling a staff flight and operational constraints caused mainly by uneconomic fares imposed by the government on the state-owned national airline.
Recently, the national flag carrier introduced a foreign-currency denominated fuel levy under which customers are compelled to pay additional foreign currency on their departure tickets to cushion the ailing parastatal.
A passenger flying to China is paying US$110 for the fuel levy on top of the departure tax of US$12, while a traveller to the United Kingdom pays US$111 for the fuel levy in addition to the US$179 departure tax for business class.
Those flying to the UK in the economy class have to part with US$110 on top of the US$100 departure fee.
A person flying to South Africa is paying a fuel levy of US$90 in addition to the US$41 for both the economy and business classes.
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