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Whites still dominate aviation industry

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ZIMBABWE’S aviation industry was and is still dominated by whites.
Prior to independence, ownership of aircraft, aviation companies and labour in the sector was predominantly white.
Black participation in the industry only started after independence with the black government taking over the national airline allowing black pilots and technicians to join the sector.
However, participation by black players is characterised by being employees and not owners of aviation businesses.
The business requires huge capital which has not been available to a majority of indegenes.
Notwithstanding these challenges, the aviation industry is a major contributor to the national economy.
Although the margins are small, the industry generates huge turnover.
It is also a major employer of both skilled and unskilled workers directly through its various operations and indirectly through its many spin-off enterprises.
In principle, civil aviation plays a crucial role in assisting the country’s lucrative tourism industry, but unfortunately the country is not realising full potential because the skies are not fully opened to local players.
Over the years, the aviation industry has been characterised by major drawbacks with the National Flag carrier, Air Zimbabwe failing to fly because of poor management practices.
Failures at the national airline has led to foreign airlines dominating local airspace.
While allowing foreign airlines to fill in the void left by Air Zimbabwe appears to be the only option available, pundits say it is not the best option since it highly disadvantages Zimbabwe.
Central Air Transport Services (CATS) is one of the very few black owned airlines which has somewhat managed to penetrate the aviation industry.
While the charter service provided by the KSM Group has faced numerous challenges, the group has managed to stay afloat.
CATS managing director Oscar Madombwe said despite several challenges, CATS still manages to service its clientele made up of business people, Government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and tourists.
“We are a charter company that provides our clientele with private charter services on our fleet of light aircraft to both domestic and regional destinations,” he said. “Operating from Charles Prince Airport, we also provide our customers some of whom are hunters from overseas source markets which include Germany, United Kingdom and America with flexible, unique, customer dictated pace type of service that makes them want to come back.
“We provide a service that makes us wait for the customers while they do their business and because of that convenience, the customer pays for it.
“Statistics currently show that the trends in the industry are down due to the hyper inflation we registered some years back.
“It would appear the world is not well informed about the true economic state of affairs in the country and still think that the turmoil of the hyperinflationary period still exists.
“The biggest challenge is non-availability of long-term financing from our financial sector.
‘Therefore those that borrow from offshore accounts are better placed because they can afford to get better equipment.
“For most of us who have not been able to borrow from offshore accounts, our type of equipment is in a sorry state and that does not help when it comes to competitiveness.
“Our main focus has been on business and tourist markets as well as Government mainly because of our flexible and good service.
“We are struggling at the moment because there are virtually no borrowing facilities in our financial sector.
“We hope that in the long-term, financing will be available at better terms because one cannot pay back over a million dollars at an interest of +15 percent in just six months.”
Madombwe said the country needs to take advantage of the Routes Summit scheduled for June to find solutions that will change the face of Zimbabwe’s aviation industry.
“Hosting the Routes Summit is important because it markets the country and it is always good to remind the world that we are still there and we have world class holiday and business facilities,” he said.
“The Summit will identify challenges which will need to be addressed and addressing these challenges will most probably provide a defining moment for the country’s aviation sector.”
Madombwe said excellent service had to characterise the aviation industry.
“Good service to us is defined by the customer’s viewpoint,’ he said.
“Broadly, on time departure, friendliness, hospitality, cleanliness, aircraft outlook and the technical condition of the aircraft all matters that customers take into account when classifying a service as good or bad.”
CATS, said Madombwe, will soon be opening the Central Air School of Aviation, which would provide training for flight attendants, pilots, and technicians.
He said the school will provide subjects that include airline marketing, airline finance, ground handling and ticketing courses as part of its expansion drive.
“We will be opening an aviation school which we hope will provide courses to many people who include farmers who may want to fly themselves to their farms and airline employees who may want to upgrade their skills,” he said.

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