AIRCRAFT OWNERS RECALL THEIR PLANE LEAVING THE NEW FLY AFRICA VENTURE IN TATTERS
(Posted 22nd November 2017)
The luckless if not outright hapless new Fly Africa (ad)venture in Zimbabwe has just hit another hurdle when it was learned that the owners of the single aircraft the airline has been operating on and (more) off have recalled their plane.
Sources close to African Charter have alleged that Fly Africa has failed to meet several key obligations they were committed to under the lease arrangement.
Low load factors on the flights operated, aviation sources in Zimbabwe suggested just 20 percent, combined with low fares meant that money was being burned and last weekend were some 18 passengers reportedly left stranded in Victoria Falls due to a lack of aircraft.
Why in fact wannabe passengers still part with their money, given the sordid saga of the ‘old‘ Fly Africa, remains a mystery and more so as this new venture, using that spoiled name, has come up with similar shenanigans.
The question now is if the airline may be able to secure another aircraft and given its track record over the past couple of months, this is by no means certain, because a lack of aircraft may put the AOC at risk and should that be withdrawn by the Zimbabwe CAA, it could spell the end game for Fly Africa.
As always, only time will tell where this saga is heading to while competitors like Fastjet are taking advantage of the woes of their wannabe competitor.
Also check out past articles on this topic:
https://atcnews.org/2017/09/19/is-the-new-flyafrica-like-the-old-flyafrica/
https://atcnews.org/2017/09/27/fly-or-else-does-zimbabwe-caa-tell-flyafrica-owners/
https://atcnews.org/2017/10/13/reader-from-zimbabwe-comments-on-flyafricas-misadventure/
https://atcnews.org/2017/10/20/flyafrica-no-fly-after-all-today/
