The Mozambican Civil Aviation Authority (IACM), through an official document, revealed that passenger traffic on domestic flights fell by 5% in the last quarter of 2024, reaching 292,753 passengers, due to issues with air connectivity.
According to the report published by Lusa, this figure contrasts with the 309,588 passengers recorded in the same period of 2023, reflecting the operational problems that have been affecting the state-owned airline, Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique (LAM), for several months.
“There was a reduction in aircraft movements on domestic routes due to flight delays. An increase in fuel costs was also recorded during the period under review. Aircraft maintenance and other operational expenses made air transport economically less viable,” the report stated.
In regional transport within Africa, the number of passengers transported in the last quarter of last year grew by 12%, reaching 135,106, while intercontinental flights saw a 46% increase, with 43,514 passengers. By the end of 2024, Mozambique had 88 aircraft registered, from 14 commercial operators, serving a total of 12 airports, 21 public airfields, and 256 private airfields.
Recently, Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique added a new Boeing 737-500 to its fleet as a temporary measure to alleviate pressure on daily flights, following months of instability in operations. With a capacity of 134 passengers and the ability to carry larger volumes of cargo, the aircraft began operating early on May 6, reinforcing LAM’s active fleet, which now includes four aircraft in regular operation: one Boeing 737-500, one CRJ 900, and two Embraer 145s.
The addition of the Boeing 737-500 represents an emergency response, while negotiations are ongoing with potential partners to address the capacity shortfall, according to LAM itself. In January, the airline launched a tender for the acquisition of Embraer ERJ190 and Boeing 737-700 aircraft, but the results have not yet been made public.
LAM has been facing a structural crisis for years, marked by operational deficits, lack of investment, a limited fleet, and alleged maintenance failures, identified by experts as risk factors, although no fatal accidents have been recorded.
In 2023, the government hired the South African company Fly Modern Ark (FMA) to implement a revitalization plan, a process that ended in September 2024. During this period, FMA estimated the airline’s debt at around 300 million USD (18.9 billion meticals).
Additionally, the Public Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation into the terms of the agreement between FMA and the state, as well as alleged corruption schemes linked to ticket sales. The case is still in the investigation phase, with no formal defendants.
Earlier this year, the government approved the sale of 91% of the state’s stake in LAM to other state-owned companies, aiming to finance the acquisition of eight new aircraft as part of a more extensive restructuring of the airline.
