ADL feels pinch of Air Malawi fall

Airport Development Limited (ADL) has said the liquidation of Air Malawi affected the number of flights, passenger as well as actual freight traffic into Malawi through the Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) in the 2012/13 financial year.

Last year, government, through the Public Private Partnership (PPP), placed the struggling Air Malawi on liquidation and identified Ethiopian Airlines as a strategic equity partner to re-capitalise the new airline called Malawian Airlines.

ADL chief executive officer Rodrick Chattaika told a fifth joint transport sector review meeting in Lilongwe last week that KIA registered a decrease in annual flights due to the liquidation of Air Malawi by 591 flights.

“KIA registered a decrease in annual flights due to the liquidation of Air Malawi. The number of flights registered in the FY2012/13 was 7 909 against a projection of 8 500 flights,” said Chattaika in a presentation titled ‘Management of Kamuzu International Airport.’

According to Chattaika, the actual air freight traffic for the 2012/13 financial year was 3 781 tonnes against the planned cargo traffic of 8 000 tonnes.

He said the country experienced a decrease in cargo tonnage especially those coming into the country due to foreign exchange problems the country experienced earlier during the year.

“In the next financial year, we expect to meet the target of 9 000 flights because the new Malawian Airlines is expected to start flying soon.

“The new Malawi Airlines should start flying as soon as possible because this has greatly affected passenger numbers at KIA,” he said.

Chattaika also informed the conference that during the period under review, actual total passenger traffic was also far much lower than the planned traffic.

He said the actual traffic was 266 100 against a projection of 373 611 passengers.

“This mainly emanated from the liquidation of Air Malawi. The review of Bilateral Air Service Agreements and the liberalisation of our airspace by the Government have had little impact on the improvement of passenger statistics throughout the country. Once the new Malawian Airlines starts flying, we expect the passenger numbers to improve,” said Chattaika.

But he urged government to ensure streamlining the process of allowing Bilateral Air Services Agreements so that more airlines are allowed to fly in and out of the country.

He also noted that KIA needs to prepare itself for any future growth in passenger traffic and recalled that when the country was about to host the African Union (AU) Summit, there was concern at Kia as to whether the airport would be able to handle the anticipated passenger traffic increase.

He added that at the moment, when about three flights arrive at the same time, it always creates congestion both in the departure and arrival halls.

However, he said it is imperative that government should consider providing funds for the construction of a new terminal building.

Minister of Transport Mohammad Sidik Mia said last week that his ministry has finalised the process of restructuring Air Malawi with the establishment of Malawian Airlines which is expected to commence in January, 2014.

He said the board for the new Airline has been established and recruitment of key staff is well underway.