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Mozambique: Business representatives welcome competition in air market
5:46 CAT | 06 Sep 2017
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The Confederation of Mozambican Business Associations (CTA) on Wednesday welcomed the entry of new air companies into the domestic market, convinced that this could lower air fares and significantly improve air transport services.
The CTA was reacting to Tuesday’s announcement by Joao de Abreu, chairperson of the regulatory body, the Mozambique Civil Aviation Institute (IACM), that Ethiopian Airlines and Malawi Airlines (which is managed by Ethiopian), have been authorised to operate domestic routes within Mozambique.
Up to now Mozambique Airlines (LAM) has had an effective monopoly on the domestic air market. The CTA believes that the service offered by LAM falls well short of what would be desirable, and that its fares are extremely expensive.
At a Maputo press conference, CTA deputy chairperson Castigo Nhamane said “We in the CTA have been defending the national operator (i.e. LAM), but it must be said that this measure will alleviate the suffering of Mozambican passengers”.
He criticised the frequent delays and cancellations of LAM flights. Nhamane said a businessman who needed to fly from Maputo to the northern city of Nampula and return the following day, could never be certain whether his flights would depart on time, if at all.
“Nowadays you don’t know whether you can carry out such a schedule or not, or whether you should leave Maputo a day earlier in order to make sure of your commitments”, he added.
He said the CTA believes the entry of new players into the market poses a challenge to LAM, forcing it to compete and improve its level of services.
Source: AIM
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