New national carrier for Malawi

According to Nyasa Times, Malawi Airline Limited will be run in partnership with Ethiopian Airlines.

Malawi Airline Limited replaces Air Malawi, after the national carrier failed for years to turn a profit. It struggled with flight delays, cancellations and suspensions, and was finally disbanded earlier this year.

In a deal to get a new national carrier in the air, servicing local, regional and international routes, Ethiopian bought a 49% stake in the new Malawi Airline, adding two planes to the fleet.

Of the Malawian Government’s 51% shareholding, 31% will be given to Malawian citizens interested in being part of the company.

To pay off some debts, liquidators for Air Malawi are selling three planes to interested parties.

Proflight Zambia Flies International

According to eturbonews, Proflight Zambia celebrated its first international scheduled air service from Luskaka, Zambia, to Lilongwe, Malawi, earlier this week.
 Flights to the Malawian capital depart from Lusaka at 15h30 and arrive in Lilongwe at 17h10. The return flights leave Lilongwe on the same days at 17h55, arriving back in Lusaka at 19h35.
The timing is designed to provide smooth connections to and from the Emirates flights from Lusaka to Dubai, which arrive in Lusaka from Dubai at 14h25 and depart from Lusaka for Dubai at 21h25 daily.
 Return fares from Lusaka to Lilongwe start from around KR2,000 (approximately R3,000) and will initially operate with Proflight’s 29-seater Jetstream 41 aircraft.
Passengers can book online at www.flyzambia.com , through travel agents, or through the Proflight Reservations Department on +260 977 335563.

Ethiopian Expands African Network

 According to eturbonews.com, Ethiopian Airlines has announced further expansion, with new flights to Blantyre, Malawi, and Ndola, Zambia, starting 31 March. Blantyre, the commercial and industrial capital of Malawi, will be Ethiopian’s 44th destination in Africa, with a new schedule of three flights per week. Ndola will be Ethiopian's 45th African and 72nd international destination, but its second destination in Zambia next to Lusaka. “Ethiopian, as a flagship carrier of Africa, is pleased to add Blantyre and Ndola to its wide route network, and to offer passengers to and from these cities the best possible connectivity through its Addis Ababa hub,” said Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines. Passengers travelling to and from Blantyre and Ndola will enjoy connections to destinations on Ethiopian Airlines' route network, such as Washington, DC, Toronto, London, Hong Kong and Dubai, among others.

Trouble for Air Malawi

Independent Online reports that the government of Malawi has announced that its national airline has been placed in voluntary liquidation. A new company, Air Malawi (2012), has been created and the government intends to select an investor to help recapitalise the airline.
So far, 11 local and international companies, including Ethiopian Airlines, South Africa's Comair and Botswana's Global Business Network, have expressed an interest in partnering with the airline. Air Malawi is saddled with debt of over $50 million, according to airline sources, arising mainly from the grounding of two of its four aircraft. The government will settle all of the company's debts.
 Two Air Malawi Boeing 737 aircraft have been parked at a maintenance hangar in South Africa for three years, after the airline failed to pay for repairs and storage fees. The carrier has had to fly leased aircraft at “enormous cost and reduced frequency on the profitable routes” within the country and in the region.

Malawi’s Swift Air Ceases Operations

According to Malawi's Zodiak Online, Swift Air has ceased operations after sheriffs impounded the company’s property in Lilongwe for unpaid debt.
 The Lilongwe-based airline is alleged to owe millions of kwacha to its landlord, Airport Development Limited, Air Malawi and independent travel agents.
Swift Air launched services from Lilongwe to Karonga in April last year and launched flights to Johannesburg in February. The airline also flies to Blantyre and Mzuzu.