Affretair
| Affretair | |
|---|---|
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| IATA code : | ZL |
| ICAO code : | AFM |
| Call sign : | AFRO |
| Founding: | 1964 |
| Operation stopped: | 2000 |
| Seat: | |
| Fleet size: | |
| Aims: | |
| Affretair ceased operations in 2000. The information in italics refer to the last status before the end of operation. | |
Affretair was an airline in Zimbabwe that was solely involved in the cargo business. Its beginnings go back to 1964 when cargo flights were started with a DC4 under the name Air Trans Africa. In 1983 Air Zimbabwe bought Affretair, but privatized it again in 1997 when Affretair aircraft were no longer allowed to take off in Europe due to technical defects. The British Aviation Star bought Affretair and replaced the ailing DC8 with a Boeing 707. In 1964, cargo flights were only undertaken on a charter basis. Today, regular flights are offered, as requested by the flower and vegetable export business.
Today the cargo airline business is a multimillion business. Affretair flies five times a week with a DC8-73F from Harare to Brussels , with a B727Freighter three times a week to Lusaka , twice to Lilongwe , once to Luanda and to Johannesburg every day except Saturday.
Affretair went bankrupt in 2000 and their only plane remained on the ground for nearly two years. In October 2001, Affretair was said to be selling its assets to pay off its $ 800 million debt to its creditors. On November 17, 2004, Zimbabwean Finance Minister Herbert Murerwa said that the government would be ready to restart Affretair from 2005 onwards.
Airline Codes:
- Affretair
- Affretair (USA)