Thread by @Kauswe3

The Zambia Airways story (PART 1)

For 3 and a half decades Zambia had a national airline. It trained a highly skilled workforce and it connected Zambia to the world. It, however, was also a political football.

Its strong unions, even the pilots were unionized, its well-educated workforce, its elite position in the Zambian political conscious and the access it provided to certain things, meant it had strong vested interests.

Interests who took positions for their own benefit to the detriment of the airline. For instance, its highly educated workforce, sometimes used their education and intelligence for selfish ends.

Right up to the end they would not let go of their perks and privileges which were costing the airline tremendous amounts of money and affecting its viability.

Several times, pilot strikes paralyzed the firm. Airline benefits were routinely abused, for instance the 10% staff tickets. The workforce was stuffed with relatives of the influential and being a member of staff of Zambia Airways was a license to print money.

They led a privileged life. It was not unusual for groceries to be bought in London or Johannesburg. It was also not unusual for you to buy your dollars from a member of staff of the airline.

Zambia Airways also had a distinct disadvantage. Zambia has always had the most expensive fuel in Southern Africa and Zambia Airways had to use that fuel.

The other was the exchange control rules. Zambia Airways generated enough foreign exchange to pay its bills however it had to surrender all its foreign exchange and then apply for it just like any other company. This really crippled the airline.

Furthermore, the political interference led to some strange decisions as to who would run the airline. Both Presidents Chiluba and Kaunda decided who became MD with comical and at times disastrous results.

I will continue this thread in PART TWO which will highlight the rise and fall of our former airline

PART 2

https://twitter.com/Kauswe3/status/1410961425032527873