Air Zimbabwe Plans Fleet Renewal Under Turnaround Strategy

Last updated: 14 January 2026 16:41

By Scott Pole

3 Min Read

Air Zimbabwe B737-2N0 Z-WPC © Bob Adams

Air Zimbabwe plans to acquire six new aircraft over the next three years at a cost of about $775.5 million, according to a state-owned media report. The purchases are backed by the Mutapa Investment Fund (MIF) and the National Treasury as part of the airline’s five-year turnaround plan.

Air Zimbabwe's Boeing 737-200 was Africa's oldest operating plane, it has been in operation for over 40 years — Air Zimbabwe’s Boeing 737-200 was Africa’s oldest operating plane, it has been in operation for over 40 years © Yang Xiao

Air Zimbabwe Outlines Plan to Modernise Ageing Fleet

The planned acquisitions will replace Air Zimbabwe’s ageing Boeing 737-200 and Boeing 767-200ER with newer aircraft designed to save fuel and cut maintenance expenses. However, both older jets are no longer in operation.

The expansion is split across three categories. Firstly, Air Zimbabwe plans to acquire two domestic aircraft valued at around $49 million each. Followed by two regional jets at $101 million each and two long-haul widebody aircraft costing about $225 million each. Crucially, the widebody aircraft are intended to support the resumption of direct international services.

Air Zimbabwe continues to operate domestic and regional flights using a wet-leased ATR 42-500 from Kenya’s Renegade Air, according to ADS-B flight tracking data.

The ATR 42-500 wet-leased from Kenya's Renegade Air features 48 seats — The ATR 42-500 wet-leased from Kenya’s Renegade Air features 48 seats © ATR Aircraft

Air Zimbabwe’s Inactive Fleet Underlines Urgent Upgrade Plans

None of Air Zimbabwe’s in-house aircraft are currently in service. Both Embraer ERJ-145 jets are inactive, with one parked at Harare International Airport after its last flight on December 20, 2025, and the other grounded since the end of 2023. Additionally, the airline’s only Boeing 737-200 last flew on August 14, 2025, while it’s sole Boeing 767 200-ER has been out of service since June 28, 2025.

Air Zimbabwe came under management of the MIF in 2023. The fund oversees more than 20 state-owned enterprises. The move aligns with the government’s National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), which prioritises improving air connectivity, to support tourism, trade, and economic growth. Under NDS2, modernising the national carrier is seen as a crucial step toward making Zimbabwe more accessible for both local and international travelers.

What do you think about Air Zimbabwe’s fleet renewal? We’d love to hear your feedback – comment below!

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ByScott Pole

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Aviation Reporter - With experience across customer service, hospitality, and content creation, Scott has developed a strong foundation in communication, teamwork, and leadership through coordinating large-scale events, managing social media platforms and crafting engaging written content.