Air Zim eyes planes from Brazil

22 April 2012 - 02:17 By Hendricks Chizhanje
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Air Zimbabwe is to explore the viability of leasing aircraft from Brazilian manufacturer, Embraer, one of the largest aircraft manufacturers in the world.

The engagement follows a recent report in the Sunday Times disclosing that Transport, Communications and Infrastructural Development Minister Nicholas Goche and Finance Minister Tendai Biti recently visited Brazil to consider purchasing or leasing aircraft from Embraer.

Insiders at the troubled national airline told the Sunday Times that officials from Goche's ministry had requested Air Zimbabwe management to validate the leasing of Embraer ERJ 145 or ERJ 190 jets from the company.

"Management was asked to prepare a paper to justify the leasing of the Embraer jets following the Brazilian trip by the ministers of transport and finance," said one insider.

Goche is leading efforts to revive the fortunes of Air Zimbabwe, which suspended domestic, regional and international flights in January and is eying a comeback in May.

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