Latest up Date on Air Zimbabwe Strike

In a recent update, the national airline of Zimbabwe stated that the pilot strike will continue this week and flights on the March 30^th and 31^st are now cancelled. The carrier further stated that as of now it does not have any information as of when the flights will resume.

Travel agents are contacting their customers booked with Air Zimbabwe, to inform about the cancelled flights, refunds process and alternate flight reservation possibilities. The refund has to be applied in cases where flight cancellation has been announced and confirmed by the airline.

To apply for a refund, Air Zimbabwe customers should contact the airline or their respective Travel Agency, who did the reservation for them. The Travel Agents apply for a refund directly to the airline and act as a coordinator between the airline and the customer where the reservation is being made through a travelling agency. Here, it is important to mention that Refund process is not immediate and can take up to weeks after the cancellation of flights. Also, one of the many reasons that slow down the refund process is the huge volume of calls, inquiries and cancellations from all over the world and nearly at all the flight routes offered by the airline.

Further, the alternate flight option can be provided to customers with cancelled tickets where they are flexible with their travelling date and can afford at least a week’s date flexibility either plus or minus.

In all cases, the current Pilot Strike against Air Zimbabwe has made it unpredictable to give a definite date of flight resumption. The Air Zimbabwe customers should leave their phone numbers, passport numbers and all necessary contact information with their Travel Agents or the Airline to make it easier for the carrier to call and inform individuals of the next available date. Where customer’s contact information is available, the airline or the Travel agents may contact the Air Zimbabwe Customers in case of an emergency or an update in flight schedules.

Air Zimbabwe has previously been challenged last year in September due to a dispute between its pilots and the management over payment of arrears. As stated on multiple sources the career agreed to the Pilots demands however only a partial payment was made. This recent strike by Air Zimbabwe Pilots is to demand the remaining payment. However, the airline’s management has expressed that it lacks sufficient funds to sort out the matter as of now. In the scenario where the airline is already lacking funds, another loss in shape of flight cancellation or due to strike can only make matters worse. There seems no instant solution to the problem and flights to Harare from London Gatwick airport, as well as regional and domestic flights to Bulawayo, Victoria Falls and Johannesburg and constantly getting cancelled.

The customers booked with Air Zimbabwe flights are advised to contact the carrier and stay up to date. As lines will be busy, the carrier requests callers to remain patient.