Air Zimbabwe pilot pay strike grounds airline's flights

Striking pilots at Air Zimbabwe began talks with management on Thursday demanding to be paid their full wage.

The pilots started a strike on Wednesday, abandoning two planes on the runway at Harare International Airport.

The boycott has led to the national carrier cancelling all its flights.

Air Zimbabwe chairman Jonathan Kadzura told state television that pilots were being paid at least $1,200 a month, but the airline could not afford to pay them the full $2,500 salary.

The carrier's local and international flights have been affected, leading to passengers milling around the country's main airport, according to the state-run Herald newspaper.

Declining passenger numbers, debt and the country's economic crisis have all contributed to the airline's losses.