Maputo, 21 Jun (AIM) – The chairperson of the Mozambican parliament, the Assembly of the Republic, Esperanca Bias, and the national football team, the Mambas, found themselves stranded in Lisbon last Wednesday because of debts incurred by Mozambique Airlines (LAM) to the Portuguese company Euro-Atlantic Airways (EAA).
According to the latest issue of the independent weekly “Savana”, LAM had to find at once almost three million meticais (almost 47,000 US dollars) to provide alternative transport to bring Bias and the Mambas back to Maputo.
LAM prioritized these VIPs, but left at Lisbon airport another 104 passengers, booked on the LAM Thursday flight from Lisbon to Maputo.
Despite the deal with the South African company Fly Modern Ark (FMA), which was supposed to save LAM from bankruptcy, LAM’s debts to its suppliers and partners have continued to grow.
Crucially, LAM owed a large sum to EAA, the company from which it leases the aircraft used for the Maputo-Lisbon route. According to the “Savana” report, EAA gave LAM an ultimatum – either it pay the outstanding debt by 19 June, or EAA would not make its plane available for further Lisbon-Maputo flights.
“Savana” claimed that the LAM debt to EAA was 1.4 million dollars, but FMA representative, Sergio Marcos, told another weekly, “Canal de Mocambique” that FMA only recognizes a debt of 300,000 dollars.
When “Savana” tried to speak to Matos, he requested written question. “Savana” sent the questions in a text message, but received no reply.
On Thursday, 20 June, EAA suspended LAM’s use of its aircraft, and claimed that the plane was now on loan to another company.
According to an internal LAM communication obtained by “Savana”, the airline claimed that payment had been delayed due to banking problems, but the amount was now in the EAA account
Despite the LAM claim, EAA sent its ultimatum demanding payment in full by 19 June. So the Thursday return flight from Lisbon to Maputo was effectively cancelled, stranding hundreds of passengers in Lisbon.
Esperanca Bias and her team, a total of seven people, were travelling from Cuba to Maputo. LAM paid 2.1 million meticais, via a reputable Mozambican travel agency, Cotur, to send them to Maputo via Johannesburg on Emirates Airways, in executive class.
The Mambas, who had travelled from Casablanca, had a more complicated journey, flying to Maputo via Luanda and Johannesburg. LAM had to pay for 21 people in the Mambas team, which cost 1.2 million meticais.
The other 104 passengers had to wait until Friday when EAA, after negotiations, relented and allowed its aircraft to be used.
(AIM)
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