MAPUTO, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Mozambique Airlines (LAM), the national flag carrier of the southern African country, has announced the suspension of its Maputo-Lisbon flights starting Wednesday, citing accumulated losses of more than 21 million U.S. dollars since 2023.
"As long as the company is not well-organized and we continue to face irregularities in domestic flights, we cannot aim for major operations," LAM spokesperson Alfredo Cossa told a press conference in Maputo on Tuesday.
The route, which had been resumed on Nov. 20, 2023, after nearly 12 years of suspension, was part of the airline's revitalization plan under the management of the South African firm Fly Modern Ark.
Operated with a 302-seat Boeing 777 in partnership with EuroAtlantic, the route connected the capitals of Mozambique and Portugal three times a week.
However, according to Cossa, the airline's new board concluded that the operation was unsustainable.
"We were financing this route using funds from the domestic market," he said. "We produced and paid, but we have now reached a point where we can no longer sustain it."
In addition to suspending the Lisbon route, LAM also canceled flights between Maputo and Harare, Zimbabwe, and between Maputo and Lusaka, Zambia, due to the same reason.
For the 1,080 passengers who had already purchased tickets for the flights, Cossa said, LAM will make alternative travel arrangements through agreements with other operators.
"Once we have restructured and consolidated our position, we will look toward intercontinental and regional operations," the spokesperson added.
The decision to suspend international routes aligns with LAM's 100-Day Governance Plan, which seeks to assess operational performance and strengthen the quality of domestic and regional services, Cossa said.
For years, LAM has struggled with operational challenges, including a reduced fleet, lack of investment, and non-fatal incidents linked to poor aircraft maintenance.
In February, the Mozambican government approved the sale of a 91 percent state-owned stake in LAM to public companies, aiming to raise 130 million dollars for the acquisition of eight new aircraft and the airline's restructuring. ■
