What You Need to Know
The Mozambican government is pursuing a partnership with Boeing to restructure its national airline, Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique (LAM). Minister of Transport João Jorge Matlombe met with Boeing representatives to discuss potential cooperation aimed at improving LAM's profitability and operational efficiency. The airline has faced significant challenges, including a reduced fleet and financial mis
Africa-Press – Mozambique. The Mozambican government intends to pursue cooperation with the American aircraft manufacturer Boeing for the restructuring and profitability enhancement of Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique (LAM), the national carrier, according to a note from the Ministry of Transport and Logistics.
According to the note, to realise this ambition, the Mozambican Minister of Transport and Logistics, João Jorge Matlombe, met with a representative of the company in the United States of America on the sidelines of the World Bank International Conference on “Transforming Transportation.”
“He met with the representative of Boeing, the American aerospace giant and world leader in aircraft manufacturing, inviting the company to join the Government’s efforts for the restructuring and profitability of Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique (LAM),” reads the Ministry’s note.
The Ministry of Transport and Logistics stated that Boeing expressed openness to the possibility of deepening discussions, and for this purpose, further meetings between the parties have been scheduled for April.
The airline has faced operational challenges for several years related to a reduced fleet and lack of investment, with some incidents recorded – non-fatal – which experts attribute to deficient aircraft maintenance. The company is currently undergoing an extensive restructuring process.
On 17 February, Mozambique announced its intention to draw on Ethiopia’s experience in pilot training and in restructuring LAM, with Ethiopian Airlines expressing interest in flying to the central and northern regions of the country.
“They have the largest airline in Africa, we have the dream of revitalising LAM, and there is no better place to study than here, because they started from nothing. It is an experience that exists and from which we can learn,” said at the time Mozambique’s ambassador to Ethiopia, Nuno Tomás.
LAM has not operated international flights for almost a year, focusing on domestic connections. This also led to a new administration in May and the entry of shareholders including Hidroeléctrica de Cahora Bassa (HCB), Portos e Caminhos de Ferro de Moçambique (CFM), and the Mozambican Insurance Company (EMOSE).
To mitigate recurring flight cancellations, the company has been acquiring and leasing new aircraft, the most recent being a 148-seat Airbus A319, which arrived in Maputo in December.
LAM’s losses soared to 3,977 million meticais (€53.7 million) in 2023, forcing the State to inject 1,000 million meticais (€13.5 million) and issue a letter of comfort in 2024, according to Lusa on 7 August.
LAM, which has not publicly disclosed its accounts, had registered losses of 448.6 million meticais (€6 million) in 2022, which therefore surged the following year, according to the most recent available financial statements.
Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique (LAM) has struggled with operational issues for several years, leading to a significant reduction in its fleet and a lack of investment. The airline has not operated international flights for nearly a year, focusing instead on domestic routes. Recent efforts to revitalize LAM include seeking partnerships with international airlines and manufacturers, such as Boeing, to enhance its operational capabilities and financial stability. The Mozambican government is keen on learning from successful models, such as Ethiopian Airlines, to improve LAM’s performance.
