Malawian Airlines Route Network as of 08MAR14

 

Malawian Airlines Route Network as of 08 March 2014. The airline currently serves the following destinations: Beira, Blantyre, Dar es Salaam, Harare, Johannesburg, Lilongwe, Lusaka, Tete.

Malawi cancels Kenya Airways 5th freedom rights

 

Kenya Airways long-standing service to the Malawian traveling public, offering a 5th freedom connection between Malawi and Zambia, was clearly worth little for the bureaucrats in Lilongwe, when they abruptly canceled these 5th freedom rights to give upstart Malawian Airlines the monopoly on the route, with instant suggestions this was done at the behest of Ethiopian Airlines. Ethiopian, which went into partnership with the Malawian government to re-launch a national airline after mismanaged Air Malawi had collapsed, at the time prompting desperate calls for assistance to Kenya Airways to offer a daily service to Lusaka, is thought to be the main driver behind that decision in their fight for supremacy in the African skies, in this case clearly a dirty fight as it now allows to charge fares at will to the detriment of passengers.

‘It is once again clear that the Yamoussoukro agreement is really worth little as African countries continue to disregard it with impunity,”’ commented an aviation source from Nairobi, when confirming that indeed effective today, March 1, no more flights between Malawi and Zambia will be operated by Kenya’s national airline. It was not immediately clear if Kenya Airways would continue to operate flights to Zambia via Malawi now or if they would “thin out” frequencies via Lilongwe in view of this latest development and perhaps increase either flights or use a larger aircraft to serve Lusaka out of Nairobi.

 

The airline did, however, issue a statement to passengers holding confirmed tickets on the Lilongwe to Lusaka route that they would be refunded in full for that coupon and that any inconvenience was highly regretted, and while diplomatically not saying clearly laying the blame on the door of the Malawian authorities.

 

Source: eturbonews

Malawi Airlines jets off to Lusaka from Lilongwe

 

Malawi Airlines, which in the previous week launched four international routes from Lilongwe, continued to expand its presence in Africa on 17 February, this time with a new service to Lusaka (LUN) in Zambia.

 

The 583-kilometre sector from Lilongwe (LLW) will be operated daily, through thrice-weekly non-stop services and four weekly flights via Blantyre in Malawi, utilising Ethiopian Airlines’ 69-seat Q400s. Malawi’s new route to the capital and largest city of Zambia will face direct competition from Kenya Airways’ daily flights and Proflight Zambia’s thrice-weekly services. 

 

Source: anna.aero

Proflight Zambia Flies Around The World Every Week

 

Lusaka-based regional airline Proflight Zambia flew the equivalent distance of travelling around the world every week last year. The airline flew a total of 2,275,204 kilometres during 2013, enough to fly the 40,075 kilometres circumference of the globe 56 times, or more than once round the earth every week. “For the first time in Proflight Zambia’s 23 year history we broke through the 2 million kilometre mark last year, demonstrating that our strategy of slow, steady growth is starting to pay off,” said Proflight Director of Government and Industry Affairs Capt. Philip Lemba.

 

“These latest figures also show that Proflight is starting to achieve the size and critical mass necessary to run an efficient and credible regional airline with Lusaka as its hub,” he added. Flying passengers more than 2 million kilometres meant 8,830 hours of time in the air. Some 136,206 passenger journeys were made during the year on Proflight – again a record for the airline, which increased its domestic route network to ten with the addition of its Mongu service in November, and added its first two international routes during the year, from Lusaka to Lilongwe in Malawi, and to Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania.

 

In total some 9,490 “sectors” – from one airport to the next - were flown during the year. On a quirkier note, the Proflight passengers consumed 21,842 muffins during their flights as part of the airline’s complimentary on-board catering services. That’s 2.184 tonnes of muffins: 18 times the weight of Douglas the baby hippo – which Proflight helped fly to safety in March after he was abandoned by his mother in the Lower Zambezi. Douglas weighed 120kg when Proflight airlifted him, but will be up to 3.6 tonnes when fully grown.

 

While 2013 was a record year for Proflight Zambia, the airline is not resting on its laurels and plans further expansion during 2014, new regional routes from Lusaka to Johannesburg, Lubumbashi, Harare and Tete being evaluated. Meanwhile, according to a recent article by Routes Online website, Proflight was the largest operator in Zambia for the year to November 31, 2013, flying 23.4 percent of the passengers arriving or departing from Lusaka’s Kenneth Kaunda International Airport.

LAM Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique orders three B737 NextGens

 

 

LAM - Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique (TM, Maputo) says it has signed an agreement with Boeing (BOE, Chicago O'Hare) for three B737 NextGen aircraft, tentatively due for delivery in 2015, 2016 and 2017. CEO Marlene Manave said the contract was signed in November last year. Under the terms of its current 5 Year Plan, LAM has set itself the goal of serving all Southern African Development Community (SADC) capitals by 2017 with flights to Cape Town and Durban King Shaka due this year along with a connection between the Mozambican cities of Tete and Nampula to Blantyre and Lilongwe in Malawi. Windhoek Int'l, Namibia is scheduled to begin in 2017. In addition, LAM is considering launching intercontinental flights to Rio de Janeiro Int'l and São Paulo Guarulhos in Brazil in either 2016 or 2017 as LAM Internacional (Maputo).

 

Source: ch-aviation

Update: Malawi Airlines Schedule

As of 04FEB14

Malawian Airlines has launched operation on 30JAN14, initially operating Lilongwe – Blantyre – Harare service. The airline will be gradually expanding operations to Johannesburg, Lusaka and Dar es Salaam later this month. Reservations for these destinations are now available.
Lilongwe – Blantyre – Harare 3 weekly (Dash8-Q400 operating this service, replacing planned 737-800)
ET038 LLW1730 – 1815BLZ1900 – 2015HRE DH8 135
ET039 HRE2100 – 2215BLZ2300 – 2345LLW DH8 135
eff 05FEB14 Lilongwe – Blantyre – Johannesburg 1 daily (Blantyre – Johannesburg sector begins from 17FEB14)
ET020 LLW0800 – 0845BLZ0930 – 1145JNB 738 D
ET021 JNB1245 – 1500BLZ1545 – 1630LLW 738 D
ET021 until 16FEB14 operates as BLZ0945 – 1030LLW
ET020/021 until 16FEB14 operates with Dash8-Q400
eff 17FEB14 Lilongwe – Lusaka 3 weekly
ET046 LLW0900 – 1015LUN DH4 135
ET047 LUN1115 – 1230LLW DH4 135
eff 18FEB14 Lilongwe – Blantyre – Lusaka 4 weekly
ET032 LLW1730 – 1815BLZ1900 – 2010LUN 738 x135
ET033 LUN2055 – 2205BLZ2250 – 2335LLW 738 x135
eff 18FEB14 Lilongwe – Dar es Salaam 3 weekly
ET042 LLW0800 – 1000DAR DH4 246
ET043 DAR1045 – 1245LLW DH4 246
Following planned service is delayed, planned new launch date is currently unavailable
Lilongwe – Blantyre – Beira 3 weekly
Lilongwe – Blantyre – Maputo 3 weekly
Lilongwe – Blantyre – Tete 2 weekly

Source: Airlineroute

PIC: Malawi Airlines at Harare International Airport

Source: Nunurai Ndawana

PIC: Malawi Airlines De Havilland Canada DHC-8 Dash 8 Arrives in Lilongwe

Malawi Airlines Planned Routes as of January 2014

 

 

According to airlineroute.net, new start-up carrier Malawi Airlines plans to begin operation as of 01 January 2014. The airline plans to operate flights to Harare, Dar es Salaam, Johannesburg, Tete, Lusaka, Beira and Maputo, using Ethiopian Airlines’ Boeing 737-800 and Dash8-Q400 with “ET” flight numbers. Schedule is as follows and subject to change:

 

eff 01JAN14 Lilongwe – Blantyre – Harare 3 weekly:

• ET038 LLW1730 – 1815BLZ1900 – 2015HRE 738 135
• ET039 HRE2100 – 2215BLZ2300 – 2345LLW 738 135

eff 01JAN14 Lilongwe – Blantyre – Johannesburg 1 daily:

• ET020 LLW0800 – 0845BLZ0930 – 1145JNB 738 D
• ET021 JNB1245 – 1500BLZ2135 – 2220LLW 738 D

eff 01JAN14 Lilongwe – Blantyre – Tete 2 weekly:

• ET036 LLW0800 – 0850BLZ0935 – 1005TET 738 7
• ET052 LLW1500 – 1550BLZ1635 – 1705TET 738 3
• ET037 TET1050 – 1120BLZ1205 – 1255LLW 738 7
• ET053 TET1750 – 1820BLZ1905 – 1955LLW 738 3

eff 02JAN14 Lilongwe – Blantyre – Lusaka 4 weekly:

• ET032 LLW1730 – 1815BLZ1900 – 2010LUN 738 x135
• ET033 LUN2055 – 2205BLZ2250 – 2335LLW 738 x135

eff 02JAN14 Lilongwe – Dar es Salaam 3 weekly:

• ET042 LLW0800 – 1100DAR DH4 246
• ET043 DAR1145 – 1245LLW DH4 246

eff 03JAN14 Lilongwe – Blantyre – Maputo 3 weekly

• ET028 LLW1400 – 1450BLZ1535 – 1750MPM DH4 157

Inbound schedule not available

 eff 03JAN14 Lilongwe – Lusaka 3 weekly:

• ET046 LLW0900 – 1015LUN DH4 135
• ET047 LUN1115 – 1230LLW DH4 135

eff 04JAN14 Lilongwe – Blantyre – Beira 3 weekly:

• ET024 LLW1400 – 1450BLZ1535 – 1635BEW DH4 246
• ET025 BEW1720 – 1820BLZ1905 – 1950LLW DH4 246

Update: New Air Botswana Schedule

From the 28th of October 2012, Air Botswana will add several new routes to their schedule including Nairobi, Cape Town, Lilongwe, Blantyre, Lanseria (Johannesburg) and Victoria Falls. Harare will recieve a fourth weekly (Tuesday) non-stop flight (ATR 42-500) while Mondays & Saturdays will operate GBE-HRE-NBO-HRE-GBE (Avro RJ85 Avroliner) and Wednesdays will operate GBE-HRE-BLZ-HRE-GBE (Avro RJ85 Avroliner)  . The Victoria Falls-Maun route will be non-stop every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday (ATR 42-500). The new schedule is available for booking but still subject to change. Air Botswana is yet to make an announcement on these new routes.

http://www.airbotswana.co.bw/

Air Botswana Addition Routes incl: Maun-Victoria Falls

Air Botswana plans to add several new routes to its current schedule from the 28th of October, 2012.
The following destinations will be added:

Gaborone - Cape Town
Gaborone - Lanseria (Johannesburg)
Gaborone - Lilongwe
Gaborone - Blantyre
Maun - Victoria Falls
Gaborone - Nairobi

Stay tuned for more on this!!!

Precision Air Postpones Harare Launch Date

Tanzania’s Precision Air starting May 2012 is introducing 2 new destinations, where it’ll launch 3 weekly service to Lubumbashi and Lusaka, starting 18MAY12. Further, planned service to Lilongwe and Harare, due to start 02JUN12, is postponed until 03JUL12.
Schedule and routing:

Dar es Salaam – Lubumbashi – Lusaka – Dar es Salaam
PW704 DAR1030 – 1140FBM1230 – 1320LUN1410 – 1655DAR 733 357
Dar es Salaam – Lilongwe – Harare – Dar es Salaam
PW705 DAR1030 – 1105LLW1155 – 1305HRE1355 – 1640DAR 733 246

Precision Air Introducing Harare Service

Tanzanian based airline, Precision Air will begin service to Harare International Airport starting June 2nd, 2012. The flights will be operating on a 3 week basis, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday out of Dar Es Salaam via Lilongwe.
PW 705 departs Dar Es Salaam at 10.30am arriving in Lilongwe at 11.05am before proceeding to Harare where arrival time will be 1.05pm. The return journey departs Harare at 1.55pm arriving in Dar Es Salaam at 4.40pm. No official announcement has been made about this route but flights are available for booking through online agents.