Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai travelled in a spiffy ride on his latest diplomatic consultations, a luxurious and comfortable white charter jet hired from the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa, zimGossip can report.

Tsvangirai made his own travel arrangements after he allegedly failed to get government funding for the round-trip. He hired the remarkable plane and also seemed very much impressed, our source said.

The aircraft included a standard suite for the MDC president that included an office, bathroom and conference room. It also provided sleeping quarters, state-of-the-art, surround-sound entertainment systems; on-board concierges; and leather and teak furnishings.

The plane had a food preparation galleys that can feed a dozen people at a time and a medical suite that can be used as an operating room.

While the plane does have its luxuries, plenty of the extras are devoted to security.

Tsvangirai zig-zagged the SADC region, first leaving Zimbabwe for SA for boarding. From South Africa, he flew to Chimoio, then Pretoria, then Kinshasa, then finally Luanda. From Luanda, the white charter dropped him off at Charles Prince Airport in Harare on Saturday, and returned to South Africa.

Tsvangirai was said to have flown in style, with ease and in comfort via the charter jet.

An aide told zimGossip: ” You know very well without a doubt, flying commercial airlines today is fraught with hassles, discomfort, and inconvenience. The Prime Minister was engaged in serious national business and visiting four countries that are far apart. You dont want him to get bogged down with problems such as canceled flights, delays, inconvenient schedules, overbookings, long security lines, lost luggage, overcrowded planes, uncomfortable seats, crying babies in the adjacent seat, and questionable digestible food. This is the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe and he deserved to roll like this.”

He just smiled when asked who bankrolled the trip.

“Ndozvineiko izvozvo? (What does that matter?),” he said.

The Prime Minister’s office is said to have hired the plane from IDC, which also operates as a direct independent air taxis operator offering direct, on-demand service to the executive and leisure traveler. IDC owns and manages its own planes and use its own personnel.