Ethiopian Airlines is keen on entering into a partnership deal with Air Zimbabwe. According to ZBC News, the deal wills see Ethiopian Airlines train pilots and also assist the national airliner to become an aircraft maintenance hub in the SADC region.
Ethiopian Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer Mr Tewolde Gebremarian met President Emmerson Mnangagwa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Saturday where the deal was revealed.
Addressing reporters after the meeting, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Sibusiso Moyo said:
They are also prepared to support the organization for maintenance so that Zimbabwe becomes a hub of maintenance of aircraft just like Addis is.
They would do that together with maintenance people of Air Zimbabwe and so that we can get a clear partnership which would then fly the Air Zimbabwe routes in code, sharing with Air Zimbabwe colours and they will fly all over the world using that particular agreement.
Air Zimbabwe has been choked by mountains of debt and had some of its planes impounded by creditors. Recently, one of Air Zimbabwe’s popular planes, Mbuya Nehanda was grounded.