Mozambique: Flag carrier LAM’s fleet “is not in the condition we want” – minister

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Mozambique: Flag carrier LAM’s fleet “is not in the condition we want” – minister

7:27 CAT | 22 Nov 2023

Image: Integrity

The Mozambican minister of transport and communications, Mateus Magala, admitted on Monday that the fleet of the state-owned airline LAM is “not in the condition” desired by the executive, saying that reforms underway will help resolve the “constant breakdowns”.

“We recognise [the deficiencies], I can’t, I don’t need to, I don’t want to, nor do I want to spend time here justifying why the plane broke down yesterday. It’s clear to everyone that our fleet is not in the condition we want,” Mateus Magala told the media on the sidelines of a public event in Maputo.

The Mozambican minister made the statements 10 days after an aircraft operated by Linhas Aéreas de Mozambique (LAM), which was on a flight to Johannesburg, South Africa, suffered a depressurisation and returned to Maputo, the Mozambican capital, the state-owned company said at the time, among other situations.

“In this case, the crew decided to return to Maputo, the company’s operational base. The flight landed safely at Maputo International Airport,” LAM said in a statement on 10 November, adding that one passenger felt unwell and was taken to a hospital.

Mozambique’s minister of transport and communications said that, in addition to the public, the “constant breakdowns” recorded at the flag carrier bother the government in the first place, not least because the mandate given to managers dictates that they do their job with “professionalism and great effectiveness”.

“Our managers need to be more refined in order to meet expectations,” said Mateus Magala, adding that a transformation of “minds and attitudes” is also needed.”The financial and technical resources are available in one way or another, but what is more precious is the attitude, we do with these resources. So I believe that with these reforms we’re making we’re going to find a point of balance, a point of flexibility,” Magala said.

READ: Mozambique: LAM replaces three directors

South Africa’s Fly Modern Ark (FMA) was asked to manage LAM in April, given the company’s financial situation.

The ongoing strategy to revitalise the company follows years of operational problems related to a reduced fleet and a lack of investment, with a number of non-fatal incidents linked by experts to inefficient aircraft maintenance.

LAM’s worst accident was in November 2013, when an Embraer travelling from Maputo to Luanda crashed in Namibia, killing all 33 occupants.

LAM’s flight network currently covers 12 domestic destinations, as well as Johannesburg, Dar es Salaam, Harare and Lusaka, operating more than 40 flights a day using one Boeing 737, three Bombardier Q400s, two Bombardier CRJ 900s and two Embraer 145s operated by subsidiary MEX – Mozambique Express.

Source: Lusa