Air Malawi
Encyclopedia
Air Malawi Limited is an airline
based in Blantyre
, Malawi
. It is the national airline of Malawi, wholly owned by the Malawi government and operates regional passenger services. Its main base is Chileka International Airport
, Blantyre, with a hub at Lilongwe International Airport
.
The airline began operations in 1964 as a subsidiary of Central African Airways
, and after the latter's dissolution, it became independent, and became the national airline of Malawi. Since its inception, the airline has concentrated on domestic and regional flights, with the exception of a short-lived long-haul flight to London
in the 1970s.
Since 2000, the Malawian government has attempted on two occasions to privatise the airline unsuccessfully. The first attempt in 2003 failed because of the successful bidder, in partnership with South African Airways
, being unable to post a security bond. The second attempt in 2007 failed after disagreements over the terms with the bidder, Comair
of South Africa
.
From its hub in Blantyre, Air Malawi currently operates a fleet of four aircraft on a route network of six destinations including, Lilongwe, Johannesburg, Harare, Dar es Salaam and Lusaka
of Central African Airways
(CAA), which had also set up Air Rhodesia
and Zambia Airways
. CAA supplied Air Malawi with two Douglas DC-3
and three de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver
s to begin services, and also provided technical assistant, equipment and personnel. On 1 August 1964, the airline began flights between Blantyre
-Salima
-Ndola
, and to Beira
in Mozambique
. The Beira service was operated in conjunction with DETA
. The airline began services to Mzuzu
with the DC-3s, and on 18 February 1965 a Salisburg
-Mauritius
service was inaugurated and operated via Blantyre, Nampula
and Antananarivo
.
1967 saw CAA being wound down, and Air Malawi became independent, giving Malawi a national airline. The airline introduced two ex-CAA Vickers Viscount
s, and a Beech C55 Baron
joined the fleet. By the end of 1967, the DC-3 was operating on all Air Malawi domestic services. Central African Airways was officially dissolved on 31 December 1967, and responsibility for all flights passed onto the three now independent airlines, of which Air Malawi was officially established by an Act of Parliament in 1967. Membership in the International Air Transport Association
was attained on 1 January 1968.
The Viscount entered revenue service on 2 April 1968 on the Blantyre to Johannesburg route, and later routes included Blantyre-Salisburg, and Salisbury-Mauritius via Blantyre and Nampula. The late 1960s and early 1970s saw the fleet being modernised and standardised. Two HS-748s were ordered in May 1969, and the airline ordered two Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander
s in July 1969. The HS-748s were delivered in December 1969 and January 1970, and the Islanders were delivered in November 1969 and September 1970, allowing for the sale of the Beech Barons. The airline disposed of the last of the DC-3s in March 1970, and in November 1970 it leased a BAC One-Eleven
from Zambia Airways
on a two year term. With the addition of the BAC One-Eleven, Nairobi
and Johannesburg
were added to the fleet network.
In February 1972, the airline leased a Vickers VC-10 from British Caledonian
, and it entered service on a route from Blantyre to London. British Caledonian sold the aircraft to Air Malawi in November 1974, and the service to Gatwick Airport in London, via Nairobi, began on 3 December 1974. In 1974, the airline began flights from Blantyre to Manzini in Swaziland
with the HS-748, and operated the route until October 1975. By the end of 1975, the airline operated one VC-10, two One-Elevens, two HS-748s and two Islanders, on a route network which included Amsterdam, Beira, Harare, Johannesburg, Lusaka, Manzini, Ndola, Nairobi, Salisburg and Seychelles.
In September 1978, the VC-10 was withdrawn from service, because of increasing operational costs which were a burden on the airline's financial stability, and the two Viscounts were sold to Air Zimbabwe in 1979 and 1980. Three Shorts Skyvans and a Beechcraft King Air
were purchased in 1980. The airline moved its international flights in 1983 from Blantyre to Lilongwe
with the inauguration of Kamuzu International Airport, however its maintenance bases remained at Blantyre.
In April 1985, the airline wet lease
d a Boeing 747SP
from South African Airways
and painted the aircraft in Air Malawi livery. The aircraft was used only for the trip of President Hastings Banda
to London
, and remained on the civil aircraft register for only 40 days. On 6 November 1987, a Shorts Skyvan was shot down by Mozambican armed forces
killing all 17 people on board. The aircraft was on an internal flight, although Mozambican military claimed that the aircraft had violated Mozambique's airspace
. In June 1989, the airline ordered two Boeing 737-500
s, but before delivery the order was reduced to one Boeing 737-300
, the first of which arrived in May 1991. In April 1991, the airline ordered two Boeing 737-300s in a deal valued at US$65 million. The HS-748 was also replaced in 1991 with an ATR 42
, and a Dornier 228 was introduced into the fleet in December 1993.
After the Malawian government approved a bid by South African Airways
and Crown Aviation to take a stake in Air Malawi, in April 2003, the deal with South African Airways to support the airline fell through. The Malawi Privatisation Committee stated that the bidders wouldn't pay a US$250,000 security bond, and the government wanted South African to take an equity stake in the airline, whilst a South African Airways executive said that the airline had an interest in supporting Air Malawi, but it was more important for the airline to make its investment in Air Tanzania
work.
In November 2007, it was announced that the Malawian government was in talks with Comair
of South Africa
over a partnership deal with Air Malawi. The deal would have seen Comair acquiring the air traffic rights of Air Malawi, some of the assets including a Boeing 737-300, and the launching of a new airline to be called Comair Malawi. It was alleged that Comair was only interested in acquiring the 737-300 In the 2007 financial year, Air Malawi posted a profit of K
135 million, an improvement on the K854 million loss it posted in 2006. In early 2008, negotiations with Comair broke down in dispute over the terms of the arranged deal; the Malawian government preferring a strategic partnership, whilst Comair wished to take an 80% stake in the airline.
In September 2008, it was announced that the Malawian government had agreed to sell a 49% stake in Air Malawi to Comair, with Roy Commsy, Malawian Deputy Transport Minister stating that the government insisted on a 49% stake as being in the best interests of the nation. It was revealed that Comair would purchase the 49% shareholding in Air Malawi for K490,000 (approximately US$3,500), with an option to increase the stake to its desired 80%.
In August 2009, it was announced that Air Malawi was in negotiations with Zambezi Airlines
for a strategic partnership.
In October 2009, Air Malawi started a e-commerce project to cut down costs and provide realtime access to reservations for online customers and travel agents.
The Air Malawi fleet previously consisted of the following aircraft:
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
based in Blantyre
Blantyre, Malawi
Blantyre or Mandala is Malawi's centre of finance and commerce, the largest city with an estimated 732,518 inhabitants . It is sometimes referred to as the commercial capital of Malawi as opposed to the political capital, Lilongwe...
, Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
. It is the national airline of Malawi, wholly owned by the Malawi government and operates regional passenger services. Its main base is Chileka International Airport
Chileka International Airport
Chileka International Airport is an airport located nine miles from Blantyre, the largest city in the Republic of Malawi and the capital city of Malawi's Southern Region.- Facilities :...
, Blantyre, with a hub at Lilongwe International Airport
Lilongwe International Airport
Lilongwe International Airport is an airport serving Lilongwe, the capital city of the Republic of Malawi. It also known as Kamuzu International Airport.- Facilities :...
.
The airline began operations in 1964 as a subsidiary of Central African Airways
Central African Airways
Central African Airways was formed in 1946 from the wartime Southern Rhodesian Air Services , which was in turn formed from the pre-war Rhodesia And Nyasaland Airways and Southern Rhodesia Air Force communications squadron...
, and after the latter's dissolution, it became independent, and became the national airline of Malawi. Since its inception, the airline has concentrated on domestic and regional flights, with the exception of a short-lived long-haul flight to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in the 1970s.
Since 2000, the Malawian government has attempted on two occasions to privatise the airline unsuccessfully. The first attempt in 2003 failed because of the successful bidder, in partnership with South African Airways
South African Airways
South African Airways is the national flag carrier and largest airline of South Africa, with headquarters in Airways Park on the grounds of OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng. The airline flies to 36 destinations worldwide from its hub at OR Tambo International...
, being unable to post a security bond. The second attempt in 2007 failed after disagreements over the terms with the bidder, Comair
Comair (South Africa)
Comair is an airline based in South Africa. It operates scheduled services on domestic trunk routes as a British Airways franchisee and an affiliate member of the Oneworld airline alliance. Its main base is OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, with hubs at Cape Town International Airport...
of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
From its hub in Blantyre, Air Malawi currently operates a fleet of four aircraft on a route network of six destinations including, Lilongwe, Johannesburg, Harare, Dar es Salaam and Lusaka
Formative years
Air Malawi began operations in 1964 as a wholly owned subsidiarySubsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
of Central African Airways
Central African Airways
Central African Airways was formed in 1946 from the wartime Southern Rhodesian Air Services , which was in turn formed from the pre-war Rhodesia And Nyasaland Airways and Southern Rhodesia Air Force communications squadron...
(CAA), which had also set up Air Rhodesia
Air Rhodesia
Air Rhodesia was the national airline of Rhodesia. Its head office was located on the property of Salisbury Airport in Salisbury.It was originally formed as a subsidiary of Central African Airways in June 1964, but became an independent corporation on September 1, 1967. Air Rhodesia flew internal...
and Zambia Airways
Zambia Airways
Zambia Airways Corporation was the flag carrier of the Republic of Zambia.-History:Zambia Airways was founded in 1964 as a subsidiary of Central African Airways. The original fleet consisted of two Douglas DC-3 and three DHC-2 Beaver. By 1967 Zambia Airways had become independent of Central...
. CAA supplied Air Malawi with two Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
and three de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver
De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver
The de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver is a single-engined, high-wing, propeller-driven, STOL aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada, primarily known as a bush plane. It is used for cargo and passenger hauling, aerial application , and has been widely adopted by armed forces as a utility aircraft...
s to begin services, and also provided technical assistant, equipment and personnel. On 1 August 1964, the airline began flights between Blantyre
Blantyre, Malawi
Blantyre or Mandala is Malawi's centre of finance and commerce, the largest city with an estimated 732,518 inhabitants . It is sometimes referred to as the commercial capital of Malawi as opposed to the political capital, Lilongwe...
-Salima
Salima
-Demographics:...
-Ndola
Ndola
Ndola is the third largest city in Zambia, with a population of 495,000 . It is the industrial, commercial, on the Copperbelt, Zambia's copper-mining region, and capital of Copperbelt Province. It is also the commercial capital city of Zambia and has one of the three international airports, others...
, and to Beira
Beira, Mozambique
Beira is the second largest city in Mozambique. It lies in the central region of the country in Sofala Province, where the Pungue River meets the Indian Ocean. Beira had a population of 412,588 in 1997, which grew to an estimated 546,000 in 2006...
in Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
. The Beira service was operated in conjunction with DETA
LAM Mozambique Airlines
Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique, Ltd., operating as LAMMozambique Airlines , is the flag carrier of Mozambique. Based in Maputo, it operates scheduled services in southern Africa and Europe under the IATA airline code TM and the ICAO airline code LAM, its callsign being MOZAMBIQUE.The carrier is a...
. The airline began services to Mzuzu
Mzuzu
Mzuzu is the capital of Malawi's Northern Region and is the third largest city, by population, in Malawi. The City has 128,432 residents plus 20,000 commuters with about 1.7 million people living around the outskirts of the city...
with the DC-3s, and on 18 February 1965 a Salisburg
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
-Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
service was inaugurated and operated via Blantyre, Nampula
Nampula
Nampula is the capital city of Nampula Province in Mozambique.It has a population of 471,717 making it the third largest city in Mozambique after Maputo and Beira. It is home to the Mozambique National Ethnographic Museum, several markets, cathedrals and mosques.It is also the center of business...
and Antananarivo
Antananarivo
Antananarivo , formerly Tananarive , is the capital and largest city in Madagascar. It is also known by its French colonial shorthand form Tana....
.
1967 saw CAA being wound down, and Air Malawi became independent, giving Malawi a national airline. The airline introduced two ex-CAA Vickers Viscount
Vickers Viscount
The Vickers Viscount was a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world...
s, and a Beech C55 Baron
Beechcraft Baron
|-See also:- Further reading :*Harding, Stephen. U.S. Army Aircraft Since 1947. Shrewsbury, UK:Airlife Publishing, 1990. ISBN 1-85310-102-8.*Michell, Simon. Jane's Civil and Military Aircraft Upgrades 1994-95. Coulsdon, UK:Jane's Information Group, 1994. ISBN 0-7106-1208-7.*Taylor, John W. R....
joined the fleet. By the end of 1967, the DC-3 was operating on all Air Malawi domestic services. Central African Airways was officially dissolved on 31 December 1967, and responsibility for all flights passed onto the three now independent airlines, of which Air Malawi was officially established by an Act of Parliament in 1967. Membership in the International Air Transport Association
International Air Transport Association
The International Air Transport Association is an international industry trade group of airlines headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the International Civil Aviation Organization is also headquartered. The executive offices are at the Geneva Airport in SwitzerlandIATA's mission is to...
was attained on 1 January 1968.
The Viscount entered revenue service on 2 April 1968 on the Blantyre to Johannesburg route, and later routes included Blantyre-Salisburg, and Salisbury-Mauritius via Blantyre and Nampula. The late 1960s and early 1970s saw the fleet being modernised and standardised. Two HS-748s were ordered in May 1969, and the airline ordered two Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander
Britten-Norman Islander
The Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander is a 1960s British light utility aircraft, regional airliner and cargo aircraft designed and originally manufactured by Britten-Norman of the United Kingdom. The Islander is one of the best-selling commercial aircraft types produced in Europe. Although designed in...
s in July 1969. The HS-748s were delivered in December 1969 and January 1970, and the Islanders were delivered in November 1969 and September 1970, allowing for the sale of the Beech Barons. The airline disposed of the last of the DC-3s in March 1970, and in November 1970 it leased a BAC One-Eleven
BAC One-Eleven
The British Aircraft Corporation One-Eleven, also known as the BAC-111, BAC-1-11 or BAC 1-11, was a British short-range jet airliner of the 1960s and 1970s...
from Zambia Airways
Zambia Airways
Zambia Airways Corporation was the flag carrier of the Republic of Zambia.-History:Zambia Airways was founded in 1964 as a subsidiary of Central African Airways. The original fleet consisted of two Douglas DC-3 and three DHC-2 Beaver. By 1967 Zambia Airways had become independent of Central...
on a two year term. With the addition of the BAC One-Eleven, Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
and Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
were added to the fleet network.
In February 1972, the airline leased a Vickers VC-10 from British Caledonian
British Caledonian
British Caledonian was a private, British independentindependent from government-owned corporations airline, operating out of Gatwick Airport in the 1970s and 1980s...
, and it entered service on a route from Blantyre to London. British Caledonian sold the aircraft to Air Malawi in November 1974, and the service to Gatwick Airport in London, via Nairobi, began on 3 December 1974. In 1974, the airline began flights from Blantyre to Manzini in Swaziland
Swaziland
Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...
with the HS-748, and operated the route until October 1975. By the end of 1975, the airline operated one VC-10, two One-Elevens, two HS-748s and two Islanders, on a route network which included Amsterdam, Beira, Harare, Johannesburg, Lusaka, Manzini, Ndola, Nairobi, Salisburg and Seychelles.
In September 1978, the VC-10 was withdrawn from service, because of increasing operational costs which were a burden on the airline's financial stability, and the two Viscounts were sold to Air Zimbabwe in 1979 and 1980. Three Shorts Skyvans and a Beechcraft King Air
Beechcraft King Air
The Beechcraft King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation...
were purchased in 1980. The airline moved its international flights in 1983 from Blantyre to Lilongwe
Lilongwe
Lilongwe, estimated population 902,388 as of 2009, is the capital and largest city of Malawi. It lies in the country's central region, on the Lilongwe River, near the border of Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia, and on the main north-south highway of Malawi, the M1.-History:The city started life as a...
with the inauguration of Kamuzu International Airport, however its maintenance bases remained at Blantyre.
In April 1985, the airline wet lease
Wet lease
Aircraft leases are a number of types of leases used by airlines and other aircraft operators. Airlines lease aircraft from other airlines or leasing companies for two main reasons; to operate aircraft without the financial burden of buying them, and to provide temporary increase in capacity...
d a Boeing 747SP
Boeing 747SP
The Boeing 747SP is a modified version of the Boeing 747 jet airliner which was designed for ultra-long-range flights. The SP stands for "Special Performance". Compared with its predecessor, the 747-100, the 747SP retains its wide-body, four-engine layout, along with its double-deck design, but...
from South African Airways
South African Airways
South African Airways is the national flag carrier and largest airline of South Africa, with headquarters in Airways Park on the grounds of OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng. The airline flies to 36 destinations worldwide from its hub at OR Tambo International...
and painted the aircraft in Air Malawi livery. The aircraft was used only for the trip of President Hastings Banda
Hastings Banda
Hastings Kamuzu Banda was the leader of Malawi and its predecessor state, Nyasaland, from 1961 to 1994. After receiving much of his education overseas, Banda returned to his home country to speak against colonialism and advocate for independence...
to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and remained on the civil aircraft register for only 40 days. On 6 November 1987, a Shorts Skyvan was shot down by Mozambican armed forces
Military of Mozambique
The Armed Forces for the Defence of Mozambique or FADM were formed in mid August 1994 from the previous warring factions of the Mozambique Civil War, which ended in 1992...
killing all 17 people on board. The aircraft was on an internal flight, although Mozambican military claimed that the aircraft had violated Mozambique's airspace
Airspace
Airspace means the portion of the atmosphere controlled by a country above its territory, including its territorial waters or, more generally, any specific three-dimensional portion of the atmosphere....
. In June 1989, the airline ordered two Boeing 737-500
Boeing 737 Classic
The Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
s, but before delivery the order was reduced to one Boeing 737-300
Boeing 737 Classic
The Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
, the first of which arrived in May 1991. In April 1991, the airline ordered two Boeing 737-300s in a deal valued at US$65 million. The HS-748 was also replaced in 1991 with an ATR 42
ATR 42
-Civil operators:The largest operators of the ATR-42 are FedEx Express, Airlinair, TRIP Linhas Aéreas,and Mexico City-based Aeromar respectively. Number of aircraft as of 2010:Some 70 other airlines operate smaller numbers of the type....
, and a Dornier 228 was introduced into the fleet in December 1993.
Towards privatisation
In April 2000, it was reported that Air Malawi was in financial difficulty, and that it may have had to sell assets in order to stay afloat, however the airline public relations department refused to comment on the situation. The government decided to privatise Air Malawi in 2000. 110 employees were laid off in March 2002 in order to help keep costs under control, with Mathews Chikaonda, the former Malawian Finance Minister noting that the airline was overstaffed and was a drain on the coffers of the government.After the Malawian government approved a bid by South African Airways
South African Airways
South African Airways is the national flag carrier and largest airline of South Africa, with headquarters in Airways Park on the grounds of OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng. The airline flies to 36 destinations worldwide from its hub at OR Tambo International...
and Crown Aviation to take a stake in Air Malawi, in April 2003, the deal with South African Airways to support the airline fell through. The Malawi Privatisation Committee stated that the bidders wouldn't pay a US$250,000 security bond, and the government wanted South African to take an equity stake in the airline, whilst a South African Airways executive said that the airline had an interest in supporting Air Malawi, but it was more important for the airline to make its investment in Air Tanzania
Air Tanzania
Air Tanzania is the national airline of Tanzania. Its main base is Julius Nyerere International Airport, Dar es Salaam.-History:Air Tanzania Corporation was established on 10 March 1977 after the breakup of East African Airways, which had previously served the region. Flights were started from...
work.
In November 2007, it was announced that the Malawian government was in talks with Comair
Comair (South Africa)
Comair is an airline based in South Africa. It operates scheduled services on domestic trunk routes as a British Airways franchisee and an affiliate member of the Oneworld airline alliance. Its main base is OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, with hubs at Cape Town International Airport...
of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
over a partnership deal with Air Malawi. The deal would have seen Comair acquiring the air traffic rights of Air Malawi, some of the assets including a Boeing 737-300, and the launching of a new airline to be called Comair Malawi. It was alleged that Comair was only interested in acquiring the 737-300 In the 2007 financial year, Air Malawi posted a profit of K
Malawian kwacha
The kwacha is the currency of Malawi as of 1971, replacing the Malawian pound. It is divided into 100 tambala. The kwacha replaced other types of currency, namely British, South African and Rhodesian, that had previously circulated through the Malawian economy...
135 million, an improvement on the K854 million loss it posted in 2006. In early 2008, negotiations with Comair broke down in dispute over the terms of the arranged deal; the Malawian government preferring a strategic partnership, whilst Comair wished to take an 80% stake in the airline.
In September 2008, it was announced that the Malawian government had agreed to sell a 49% stake in Air Malawi to Comair, with Roy Commsy, Malawian Deputy Transport Minister stating that the government insisted on a 49% stake as being in the best interests of the nation. It was revealed that Comair would purchase the 49% shareholding in Air Malawi for K490,000 (approximately US$3,500), with an option to increase the stake to its desired 80%.
In August 2009, it was announced that Air Malawi was in negotiations with Zambezi Airlines
Zambezi Airlines
Zambezi Airlines was a privately owned airline based in Lusaka, Zambia. Its corporate headquarter was located in Lusaka, Zambia. Its main hub of operations was Lusaka International Airport. It ceased its operation on October 31, 2011....
for a strategic partnership.
In October 2009, Air Malawi started a e-commerce project to cut down costs and provide realtime access to reservations for online customers and travel agents.
Destinations
Air Malawi operates to the following destinations, .| † | Hub Airline hub An airline hub is an airport that an airline uses as a transfer point to get passengers to their intended destination. It is part of a hub and spoke model, where travelers moving between airports not served by direct flights change planes en route to their destinations... |
| ¤ | Focus city Focus city In the airline industry, a focus city is a location that is not a hub, but from which the airline has non-stop flights to several destinations other than its hubs... |
| # | Terminated destination |
| City | Country | IATA | ICAO | Airport | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blantyre Blantyre, Malawi Blantyre or Mandala is Malawi's centre of finance and commerce, the largest city with an estimated 732,518 inhabitants . It is sometimes referred to as the commercial capital of Malawi as opposed to the political capital, Lilongwe... |
BLZ | FWCL | Chileka International Airport Chileka International Airport Chileka International Airport is an airport located nine miles from Blantyre, the largest city in the Republic of Malawi and the capital city of Malawi's Southern Region.- Facilities :... |
||
| Dar es Salaam Dar es Salaam Dar es Salaam , formerly Mzizima, is the largest city in Tanzania. It is also the country's richest city and a regionally important economic centre. Dar es Salaam is actually an administrative province within Tanzania, and consists of three local government areas or administrative districts: ... |
DAR | HTDA | Julius Nyerere International Airport Julius Nyerere International Airport Julius Nyerere International Airport -History:The German colonial Government built the first airport in Tanganyika at Kurasini in Temeke District in 1918. It was called Mkeja Airport.... |
||
| Dubai Dubai Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi... |
DXB | OMDB | Dubai International Airport Dubai International Airport Dubai International Airport is an international airport serving Dubai, the largest city of the United Arab Emirates. It is a major aviation hub in the Middle East, and is the main airport of Dubai. It is situated in the Al Garhoud district, southeast of Dubai... |
||
| Harare Harare Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its... |
HRE | FVHA | Harare Airport | ||
| Johannesburg Johannesburg Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa... |
JNB | FAJS | OR Tambo International Airport | ||
| Karonga Karonga Karonga is a township in the Karonga District in Northern Region of Malawi. Located on the western shore of Lake Nyasa, it was established as a slaving centre sometime before 1877. As of 2008 estimates, Karonga has a population of 42,555.-History:... |
KGJ | FWKA | Karonga Airport Karonga Airport Karonga Airport is an airport serving Karonga, a town in the Northern Region of the Republic of Malawi.- Facilities :The airport resides at an elevation of above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 14/32 with an asphalt surface measuring .... |
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| Lilongwe Lilongwe Lilongwe, estimated population 902,388 as of 2009, is the capital and largest city of Malawi. It lies in the country's central region, on the Lilongwe River, near the border of Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia, and on the main north-south highway of Malawi, the M1.-History:The city started life as a... |
LLW | FWKI | Lilongwe International Airport Lilongwe International Airport Lilongwe International Airport is an airport serving Lilongwe, the capital city of the Republic of Malawi. It also known as Kamuzu International Airport.- Facilities :... |
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| Lusaka Lusaka Lusaka is the capital and largest city of Zambia. It is located in the southern part of the central plateau, at an elevation of about 1,300 metres . It has a population of about 1.7 million . It is a commercial centre as well as the centre of government, and the four main highways of Zambia head... |
LUN | FLLS | Lusaka International Airport Lusaka International Airport Kenneth Kaunda International Airport is an international airport in Lusaka, Zambia, and was the hub of Zambian Airways. Formerly Lusaka International Airport, now called Kenneth Kaunda International Airport. The airport was renamed in honour of the first president of the Republic of Zambia Dr... |
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| Mzuzu Mzuzu Mzuzu is the capital of Malawi's Northern Region and is the third largest city, by population, in Malawi. The City has 128,432 residents plus 20,000 commuters with about 1.7 million people living around the outskirts of the city... |
ZZU | FWUU | Mzuzu Airport Mzuzu Airport Mzuzu Airport is an airport serving Mzuzu, the capital city of the Northern Region of the Republic of Malawi.- Facilities :The airport resides at an elevation of above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 17/35 with a bitumen surface measuring .... |
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| Nairobi Nairobi Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is... |
NBO | HKJK | Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Jomo Kenyatta International Airport -Charter airlines:-Cargo airlines:-Other facilities:The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority has its head office in the KAA Complex on the airport property. African Express Airways has its head office on the airport property... |
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| Nampula Nampula Nampula is the capital city of Nampula Province in Mozambique.It has a population of 471,717 making it the third largest city in Mozambique after Maputo and Beira. It is home to the Mozambique National Ethnographic Museum, several markets, cathedrals and mosques.It is also the center of business... |
APL | FQNP | Nampula Airport Nampula Airport Nampula Airport is an airport in Nampula, Mozambique . In the northeastern part of Mozambique, with 2 paved runways and is also a hub for Kaya Airlines.-Airlines and destinations:... |
Fleet
The Air Malawi fleet consists of the following aircraft (as at December 2010) http://www.ch-aviation.ch/aircraft.php?search=set&airline=QM&al_op=1:| Aircraft | Total | Passengers | Routes | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | Y | Total | ||||
| ATR 42-320 | 0 | 48 | 48 | Short haul routes | ||
| Boeing 737-200 | 8 | 96 | 104 | Regional routes | ||
| Total | 3 | |||||
The Air Malawi fleet previously consisted of the following aircraft:
| Aircraft | Total | Retired In |
|---|---|---|
| BAC One-Eleven BAC One-Eleven The British Aircraft Corporation One-Eleven, also known as the BAC-111, BAC-1-11 or BAC 1-11, was a British short-range jet airliner of the 1960s and 1970s... |
2 | 1991 |
| Boeing 737-300 | 1 | 2009 |
| Boeing 737-500 | 1 | 2007 |
| Boeing 747sp Boeing 747SP The Boeing 747SP is a modified version of the Boeing 747 jet airliner which was designed for ultra-long-range flights. The SP stands for "Special Performance". Compared with its predecessor, the 747-100, the 747SP retains its wide-body, four-engine layout, along with its double-deck design, but... |
1 | 1985 |
| Vickers VC-10 | 1 | 1979 |