Mozambique: LAM announces direct flights between Pemba and Johannesburg

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Mozambique: LAM announces direct flights between Pemba and Johannesburg

3:09 CAT | 22 Jan 2024

File photo: Notícias

Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique (LAM) announced yesterday the inauguration of direct flights between Johannesburg and Pemba in Cabo Delgado province, with the three weekly flights starting later this month.

A note from the Mozambican state airline states that the connection aims to “promote business and tourist growth”, and starts on January 29th.

The new connection joins other direct flights that LAM has already introduced in recent months as part of the revitalization process underway since last April. Destinations include Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa, connecting with Maputo, Inhambane and Vilanculos, now followed by Pemba.

The debut of this “air bridge” comes at a time when several international organisations indicate that an announcement on the resumption of the TotalEnergies natural gas project in Cabo Delgado is imminent.

One of the largest of its kind in Africa, the LNG project has been suspended since 2021 due to terrorist attacks in the region.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) itself last week presaged, given improved security conditions, the resumption at the beginning of this year of the TotalEnergies’ Mozambique LNG megaproject, valued at US$20 billion.

“Security conditions in the north continue to improve and the large LNG project that was stopped in April 2021 is expected to restart in early 2024,” reads a report regarding the approval this month of the third evaluation of the implementation of the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) program, lasting 36 months seen by Lusa last week.

The new Johannesburg-Pemba route is part of LAM’s revitalization plan spearheaded by South African company Fly Modern Ark (FMA) entering LAM’s management structure in April last year.

LAM’s flight network has 12 destinations in the domestic market. At a regional level the flag carrier regularly flies to Johannesburg, Dar-Es-Salaam, Harare, Lusaka, and Cape Town, while Lisbon has been the only intercontinental destination since December 12th.

Every day, LAM carries out more than 40 flights, operated through its fleet made up of one Boeing 737, three De Havilland Q400s, two Bombardier CRJ 900s and two Embraer 145s operated by its subsidiary Moçambique Expresso (MEX).

Source: Lusa