The government of Mozambique is seeking cooperation with the American aircraft manufacturer Boeing to restructure and improve the profitability of Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique (LAM), the national carrier, according to a statement from the Ministry of Transport and Logistics cited by Lusa on Sunday (15).
Minister of Transport and Logistics João Jorge Matlombe met with a Boeing representative in the United States on the sidelines of the World Bank International Conference on “Transforming Transportation.”
“The minister met with the Boeing representative, inviting the company to join government efforts to restructure and improve the profitability of LAM,” the ministry said. Boeing expressed openness to further discussions, with new meetings scheduled for April.
LAM has faced operational challenges for several years due to a reduced fleet and lack of investment, with some non-fatal incidents linked to insufficient aircraft maintenance. The airline is currently undergoing a deep restructuring.
On February 17, the government announced plans to draw on Ethiopia’s experience in pilot training and airline restructuring, with Ethiopian Airlines showing interest in flying to central and northern Mozambique. “They have Africa’s largest airline; we dream of revitalizing ours. There’s no better place to learn than from them, because they started from nothing,” said Mozambique’s ambassador to Ethiopia, Nuno Tomás.
LAM suspended international flights nearly a year ago, focusing on domestic routes. This led to a new administration in May and the entry of shareholders including Hidroeléctrica de Cahora Bassa, Portos e Caminhos de Ferro de Moçambique, and Empresa Moçambicana de Seguros.
To address recurring flight cancellations, LAM has been acquiring and leasing aircraft, most recently a 148-seat Airbus A319, which arrived in Maputo in December.
LAM’s losses surged to €53.7 million in 2023, forcing the government to inject €13.5 million and issue a comfort letter in 2024. Previously, the airline reported €6 million in losses in 2022, which escalated the following year, according to the latest available financial statements.
Source: Diário Económico
