The Zimbabwean government is exploring lucrative routes for Air Zimbabwe while the airline is looking to acquire modern passenger aircraft from Malaysia, Zimbabwe’s Financial Gazette has reported.

Transport, Communication and Infrastructure Development Minister, Joram Gumbo, said the department was scouting for routes on behalf of Air Zimbabwe.

“I will also be visiting China and Singapore to see if Air Zimbabwe can connect through these routes to China. I also want to go to Nigeria to see if we can have direct flights to West Africa,” said Gumbo.

Recently Minister Gumbo accompanied President Robert Mugabe to Malaysia to explore aviation opportunities and ensure that routes are guaranteed so that new aircraft are put to good use.

The Financial Gazette reported that the current search for new aircraft and routes came hard on the heels of top-level appointments at the national airline, with the new management tasked to turn around the loss-making airline. They are reportedly at the centre of ongoing moves to secure aircraft.

According to reports, last month Gumbo held informal discussions with Ethiopian Airways executives in Addis Ababa with the hope of entering into a technical partnership.

Air Zimbabwe executives confirmed that the airline was also eager to resume the lucrative China and London routes, although specific timelines have not been set.