T
HE travel trade is
watching with interest
to see how the recently
launched Mozambique Airlines
performs, although it’s too
soon to access any long-term
impact the venture may have.
Ethiopian Airlines owns a
99% stake in Mozambique
Airlines, which commenced
operations in December last
year.
The airline reportedly
connects eight domestic
destinations: Maputo,
Nampula, Tete, Pemba, Beira,
Nacala, Quelimane and
Chimoio.
“We understand the airline
aims to improve connectivity
within Mozambique and to
promote competitiveness
in the region. This is in the
interests of both consumers
and the travel agency
community,” said Mladen
Lukic, Travel Counsellors gm.
Tewolde GebreMariam,
Group ceo of Ethiopian
Airlines, said: “To own and
operate different hubs in
Africa is part of our Vision
2025 multiple-hub strategy.
The new Mozambique
Airlines will serve as a strong
connectivity option to cities
whose geographic locations
made surface transportation
costly in terms of time.”
He says the airline will also
enhance international flight
connectivity to/from major
domestic cities via Ethiopian
Airlines’ growing global
network.
Paul Da Silva, director
of XL Novo Mundo Travel,
agrees that the airline
creates more frequencies
and better connecting times
to the domestic cities in
Mozambique that it services.
He says Chimoio in particular
was a difficult city to get to in
the past. While his office has
not yet had any requests in
this regard, he hopes to see
more affordable airfares for
Mozambique.
Valerie Van Der Vyver,
Thompsons Holidays airline
development executive,
agrees the new player may
force carriers who have the
monopoly to relook “exorbitant
fares”.
She elaborates in this
example. “For JNB-MPM
via ADD, the LAM fare is
lower than Mozambique
Airlines. JNB-POL sees very
similar fares from Airlink and
Mozambique Airlines. Should
we combine two separate
tickets for the following routing
– JNB-MPM-JNB (TM) and
MPM-POL-MPM (ET) – the total
combined fare on ET/TM is
lower than Airlink’s JNB-POLJNB fare.”
In terms of connectivity into
and in Mozambique, Valerie
says LAM will no longer
have the monopoly in the
Mozambique domestic market
since there will be alternative
options from Maputo to Beira,
Pemba, Nampula, Tete and
Quelimane. The only new
route not previously serviced
is between ADD and MPM,
she adds.
Says Valerie: “We’ve not
experienced any increase on
Mozambique Airlines as yet,
but we are considering options
to combine LAM and ET flights
from JNB to Pemba, Beira,
Tete and some Nampula via
MPM. Mozambique Airlines
offers daily frequencies, which
eliminates restricted travel for
leisure client.
