Malawian Airlines decries high fuel cost
Malawian Airlines Limited, a joint venture between Ethiopian Airlines and Malawi Government, has said the current reduction in jet fuel price is insignificant to trigger any decline in fares. The airline argues that jet fuel price in Malawi remains the highest in the Southern Africa Development Community (Sadc) region.
Last week, Mera adjusted downwards the price of jet fuel by 2.8 percent from K758.84 to K737.67 at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) in Lilongwe and by 3.06 percent to K687.08 from K708.78 at Chileka International Airport in Blantyre.
In a written response to questions on Tuesday, the airline’s public relation officer Joseph Josiah said there will be no changes in airfares due to the reduction in fuel price.
He said: “Our major concern has been that jet fuel price in the country is the highest in the region. For example, in South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania where we operate to, the price there is nearly half of what we pay in Malawi.”
A Blantyre-based businessperson Lekani Makoti could not hide his frustration on the high airfares, saying Malawians need another domestic airline to enhance competition.
