Air Zimbabwe

As I write I cannot even express my feelings because of the mannerism of Air Zimbabwe staff. I was bound on a flight from Harare to Bulawayo on 15 March and little did I know that I was going to lose all the things I was travelling to get in Bulawayo. I did not go to Bulawayo after all because the flight was supposedly overbooked. I was there in time for check in - ie. one and a half hours early. I was in the queue only to be advised that the flight was now full. To my disgust the airport staff were not even helpful. We were then told that they might be a flight at 1:30pm that will travel to Vic Falls and then get to Bulawayo around 10:30 pm. I needed to be in Bulawayo at 10am. Why weren't we told that there was a plane down early enough for us to find alternative transport. To add insult to injury I am told I can't get my refund until after six weeks. This was not my fault. The inefficiency of Air Zimbabwe leaves a lot to be desired.

Return trip to Harare and a satisfying experience on both occasions. I geared myself up for what I prejudged would be an awful flight it was cheap so decided to take the risk. I am pleased to say my flight was extremely enjoyable. The food staff all friendly and highly efficient the captain - a lady entertainment and most importantly the wine was all brilliant.

21st December 2006. My wife and I booked our flight in May 2006 and duly arrived at Gatwick for our scheduled 6pm flight. We got through baggage check in having waited over 2 hours then 90 minutes getting through security and passport control. Entered departure lounge but no information on screens about our flight. We decided to go to gate 34 which was printed on our boarding pass and met all the other travellers but no Air Zimbabwe staff or representatives in sight. It was only when a fellow passenger got through to Air Zimbabwe London on her mobile phone that we were told the flight had been cancelled for "technical reasons" .We had to go through passport control and baggage reclaim as if we had just arrived at Gatwick and then join a huge queue of weary travellers at the Air Zimbabwe agency to see what was going on. It would have taken hours to be seen so we reluctantly went home. On the 22nd December we made 50 plus calls to Air Zimbabwe Gatwick but whoever eventually picked up the phone just put the receiver down without saying anything! Eventually Air Zimbabwe London answered and promised to call me with information that day which they did and informed me categorically that we were on the11am flight on Saturday 23rd December. We duly arrived at Gatwick at 6am and waited for the Air Zimbabwe check in to open. By 9am no sign of any check in so more frantic calls to Air Zimbabwe Gatwick and London. Gatwick office were not answering and London were closed for the weekend! Another traveller got hold of Air Zimbabwe Harare and was told there was a flight at 5.30 that day. Eventually an Air Zim check in opened at 2.15pm and literally hundreds of people queued many more than the plane could carry! Scores of people jumped the queue and mayhem ensued. Eventually the airport security announced that the flight was for those who had not travelled on the 21st December and anyone else would not fly that day! You can imagine the impact that had on those with tickets to fly that day. Eventually we got to the departure lounge and to our gate for boarding. An hour later an Air Zimbabwe spokesman announced the crew had been delayed and would be with us soon. An hour later they arrived in one's and two's and eventualy we boarded the aircraft only to be told by the captain that the baggage had yet to be loaded ! We eventually took off at 10.30pm after spending over 16 hours at Gatwick at our second attempt to get to our destination .Consequently we will never ever fly Air Zimbabwe again and urge other would be passengers to think again .

I took my friend to London-Gatwick on 24-12-06. He was expecting to fly with Air Zimbabw eat 1900 hrs that evening & arrive in Harare at 7am on Christmas day. On trying to check in we realised there were 2 separate queues one for those with tickets for 23 Dec and one for those with tickets for 24 Dec. That is all the information that was given and no explanation - even though there was only one flight scheduled for Harare that evening. We waited for 4 hrs only to be told that those with tickets for 24 Dec were not flying because their plane had been given to those whose flight had been cancelled the previous day!?

What a disgrace of an airline Air Zimbabwe has become. We have had three incidents with this 'joke' of an air line in as many weeks. Flights delayed by many hours leaving Harare then diverting to Kenya to refuel and finally arriving in London up to 8 HOURS later than scheduled arrival. Flights to Harare from London delayed by 24 hours and a total attitude of indifference shown by Air Zimbabwe officials in London. My advice to anyone thinking of flying to and from Harare with Air Zimbabwe - DO NOT fly with this ghastly airline. Chose BA or SAA.

My daughter flew as an unaccompanied minor HRE-LGW return. On her trip here her plane was delayed by 2hrs 30mins which resulted in her father having to wait all that time. On arrival the plane due at 07:40hrs landed at 09:25hrs and she only emerged shortly after 11a.m after being delayed in passport control and the baggage hall when she was travelling on an EEA Family Member Permit she had no baggage but had to wait because there was only one escort available to take seven children through to arrivals! Next time it'll be SAA or BA I'd rather pay extra knowing she'll be on time and well looked after.

The last three flights on Air Zimbabwe that my wife and/or myself have been on have been an absolute disaster. Flights cancelled and delayed have been the norm. Reaction from Air Zimbabwe have been explained away as "Operational Reasons beyond their control" . What rubbish they have all been the result of the incompetence of their management. To any one considering flying Air Zimbabwe I recommend you consider other options.

I've travelled to Zimbabwe on many occasions both for business and vacation. Given the terrible state of that country's economy I think the airline does a very creditable job. They can't compete against the likes of BA with the resources at their disposal but I found the flight crews to be very pleasant and attentive. They try hard to please and do their best at all times. I do find the temperature in the aircraft to be a bit on the warm side but it does at least prepare you for the heat of Zimbabwe which can be a surprise when you exit the arrivals hall. Checking in at LGW is reasonably smooth given that most returning Zimbabweans want to take far more on the plane than their allowance. Checking in at HRE has improved since the construction of the new terminal and the Air Zim staff are pleasant and efficient. What I do find as a shocking contrast is the unfailing hostility shown by the various gov't officials one encounters at HRE both arriving and departing. The Zim Gov't must make special efforts to recruit unpleasant staff to deal with British Citizens as it's quite obvious we're singled out for the maximum delays questions customs searches etc. Being unwelcome in the country is made very clear by the Immigration and Customs officials; completely the opposite of the attitude of most of the population.

We booked my 75-year old mother to fly Harare-Gatwick return. The flight to Gatwick was great with everything going very smoothly. The flight from Gatwick back to Harare however was diverted via Rome to pick up Comrade Bob (Mugabe) and the arrival in Harare was delayed by over hours. This meant that my mother (who was in a wheelchair) missed her connecting flight to Bulawayo and had to wait until the next flight which was scheduled to take off some 10 hours later! But Comrade Bob (Mugabe) appeared on the scene and the connecting flight was delayed by a further 2 hours! Never again !

I'll not try again in a while. They owe me a lot in apology / reimbursements. I tried to recover costs incurred from several of the many cancellations of a flight that was suppose to have been used by my family to England. This also happened to my friends when they tried to be patriotic as well.