Zimbabweans react to 'Rhodesia' airline ticket

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An airline ticket referring to Zimbabwe as “Rhodesia” has elicited outrage among Zimbabweans on social media.

The airline ticket was believed to have been issued by United Airlines. However, The South African contacted United Airlines for comment, and their media relations office clarified: “The ticket appears to have been issued by Ethiopian Airlines [ticket number begins with 071].”

Screenshot via @advocatemahere on X (Twitter)

The South African also contacted Ethiopian Airlines, asking whether they had issued the contentious airline. Their response will be added once received.

The backlash arose after a Zimbabwean passenger noticed the outdated reference on their ticket, reigniting debates on colonialism, national identity and Zimbabwe’s current socio-economic state.

Airline ticket: A Blast from the Past?

There were many netizens, however, who found the mistake mildly amusing, joking that even in 2025, an international airline still refers to Zimbabwe by its colonial-era name.

“Imagine booking a flight in this era and discovering that, according to United Airlines, you are from a country that ceased to exist in 1980!” @mlobiwazo wrote, adding laughing emojis.

Others saw it as a reflection of how some Western institutions have been slow in updating their systems. “How does this even happen? Has United Airlines not updated their database since Ian Smith’s time?” @amazingkid asked sarcastically.

A Nostalgic Perspective on ‘Rhodesia’

Those who were not laughing took the opportunity to contrast the Rhodesian era with present-day Zimbabwe, arguing that Rhodesia, despite being an apartheid state, had a more functional economy and infrastructure.

“Rhodesia built more in a few years than Zimbabwe has in decades,” one user stated.

@MrMake HerSmile said: “Rhodesia will always be better. Zimbabwe is a cesspool of corruption.”

This perspective, though controversial, is not new. Many Zimbabweans, frustrated by the country’s ongoing economic challenges, have looked back at the pre-independence era with nostalgia. They point to the stability and economic output of that period as a contrast to the current situation. Some commenters suggested that the ticket mistake was a ‘sign’ that Zimbabwe should reflect on where it went wrong.

For many Zimbabweans, however, any reference to Rhodesia carries painful historical connotations. The country endured a brutal liberation struggle to achieve independence in 1980. Any suggestion of reverting to a Rhodesian identity is seen as dismissing the sacrifices made for freedom.