LAM Mozambique Airlines will take delivery of two new aircraft over the next few weeks.

The Embraer-190 will replace most flights operated by the Boeing 737-200, including the Johannesburg-Maputo route. The aircraft will also be used on Johannesburg flights via Maputo to Tete, Nampula, Pemba, and Lichinga.

There will be significant changes to the airline’s schedule planning to optimise utilisation of the aircraft, bringing greater stability to the schedule between the summer and winter seasons.

The acquisition of the new Embraer-190, which features nine business-class seats and 84 economy-class seats, is part of LAM’s fleet renewal programme, which will help lower operational costs, resulting in more attractive fares, and improve customer comfort, service quality, and safety. The new aircraft are also more environmentally friendly and will help the airline reduce its carbon emissions by up to 50%.

New prospects for LAM

The acquisition of the two new Embraer-190 aircraft will allow LAM to expand its operations, offering more frequency and capacity. Some developments to look forward to include:

· A third flight from Johannesburg to Maputo

· A fourth frequency to Vilanculous and Inhambane, increasing capacity over the next six months

· Working on a timetable for direct flights to Pemba

· Opening a Luanda route from October 25, with flights on Tuesday and Friday

· Increasing flights to Dar es Salaam with a stopover in Pemba

· Increasing flights to Nairobi in codeshare agreement with Kenya Airways with a stopover in Pemba

· Researching the possibility of re-introducing a Harare route