Civil aviation operators in Mozambique have called for measures to reduce operating costs and make domestic air transport more affordable, raising the issue at this year's Maputo International Trade Fair, FACIM 2026.
The debate took place on Wednesday, 2 July, during a panel discussion on how to make air travel more accessible, which brought together representatives from the government, airlines, and Aeroportos de Moçambique.
Air Mozambique's chief financial officer, Lucas Francisco, explained that the final price of airline tickets results from a combination of internal and external factors, including fuel costs, airport fees, fleet expenses, labour, and the overall tax burden.
'The fare combines all of these elements. If we want to look at mechanisms to reduce those fares, we have to examine each link in that chain and identify where the opportunities for cost reduction can be explored,' he said.
Francisco also advocated for greater operational efficiency among airlines, including fleet renewal. He noted that acquiring aircraft outright or through dry-lease arrangements could help reduce operational costs.
Brahim Omid, chairman of Solenta Aviation, identified the high cost of financing as one of the principal constraints on the development of domestic aviation in the country.
'We are going to finance an aircraft here at around 20% interest. That is simply not viable,' he said, calling for more favourable financing conditions for the sector.
Omid also called for greater collaboration between operators, the government, and the regulator, arguing that the sector's challenges cannot be resolved in isolation.
'The state needs to understand how we can provide incentives and treat aviation as a special sector,' Omid said.
Participants at the panel also called for greater regulatory predictability and investor security, at a time when some airlines are entering the domestic market only to abandon operations shortly thereafter.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/2026/09/02/negocios/aviacao/facim-2026-operadores-de-aviacao-defendem-reducao-de-custos-para-tornar-voos-domesticos-mais-acessiveis/
