View source for Air Malawi

{{Short description|Defunct national airline of Malawi}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox airline
| airline        = Air Malawi
| logo           = Air Malawi logo.svg
| destinations   = 
| IATA           = QM
| ICAO           = AIM
| callsign       = MALAWI
| parent         = [[Government of Malawi]]
| founded        = March 1964
| ceased         = February 2013
| headquarters   = [[Blantyre, Malawi]]
| key_people     = 
| hubs           = 
| secondary_hubs = 
| focus_cities   = 
| frequent_flyer = 
| lounge         = 
| alliance       = 
| website        = 
}}

'''Air Malawi Limited''' was the state-owned [[national airline]] of [[Malawi]], based in [[Blantyre, Malawi|Blantyre]], which operated regional passenger services.  Because of its financial situation, the airline was placed in voluntary liquidation, the [[Government of Malawi|Malawi Government]] announced<ref name="BusinessReport161112">{{Cite news|url=http://www.iol.co.za/business/companies/air-malawi-under-liquidation-1.1425339#.UQP9qR0gbEU|title=Air Malawi under liquidation|date=16 November 2012|publisher=Business Report|accessdate=26 January 2013}}</ref> in November 2012, and flights have been suspended since February 2013.<ref name="closes shop">{{Cite news|url=http://www.malawitoday.com/news/128168-troubled-air-malawi-closes-shop-wednesday |title=Troubled Air Malawi closes shop on Wednesday |date=11 February 2013 |publisher=Malawi Today |accessdate=19 May 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130213225544/http://www.malawitoday.com/news/128168-troubled-air-malawi-closes-shop-wednesday |archivedate=13 February 2013 }}</ref>

The airline began operations in 1964 as a subsidiary of [[Central African Airways]], and later became independent and the national airline of Malawi. With the exception of short-lived long-haul flights to [[London]] in the 1970s, the airline has always concentrated on domestic and regional flights, from its main base at [[Chileka International Airport]], Blantyre.

Air Malawi frequently had financial difficulties, and the [[government of Malawi|Malawian government]] attempted to [[privatise]] the airline on two occasions without success. The first attempt in 2003 failed because the successful bidder, in partnership with [[South African Airways]], was unable to post a security bond. The second attempt in 2007 failed after disagreements over the terms with the bidder, [[Comair (South Africa)|Comair]] of South Africa. The government, through its agent the Privatisation Commission, announced in September 2012 that it had embarked on another search to identify a strategic equity partner for Air Malawi,<ref name="closes shop" /><ref name="MalawiToday0609012">{{Cite news|url=http://www.malawitoday.com/news/126621-government-offload-air-malawi |title=Government to offload Air Malawi |date=6 September 2012 |publisher=Malawi Today |accessdate=26 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022145052/http://www.malawitoday.com/news/126621-government-offload-air-malawi |archivedate=22 October 2012 }}</ref> and in July 2013 Ethiopian Airlines was confirmed as the partner<ref name=MalawiVoice1 /> in a new airline to be called [[Malawi Airlines]].

==History==

=== Formative years (1964–1967)===
Air Malawi began operations in 1964 as a wholly owned [[subsidiary]] of [[Central African Airways]] (CAA), which had also set up [[Air Rhodesia]] and [[Zambia Airways]]. CAA supplied Air Malawi with two [[Douglas DC-3]]s and three [[de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver]]s to begin services, and also provided technical assistant, equipment and personnel. On 1 August 1964, the airline began flights between [[Blantyre, Malawi|Blantyre]]-[[Salima (township)|Salima]]-[[Ndola]], and to [[Beira, Mozambique|Beira]] in [[Mozambique]]. The Beira service was operated in conjunction with [[LAM Mozambique Airlines|DETA]]. The airline began services to [[Mzuzu]] with the DC-3s, and on 18 February 1965 a [[Harare|Salisbury]]-[[Mauritius]] service was inaugurated and operated via Blantyre, [[Nampula]] and [[Antananarivo]].<ref name="guttery">{{Cite book|last=Guttery|first=Ben R.|title=Encyclopedia of African airlines|publisher=Ben Guttery|year=1998|pages=116–119|isbn=0-7864-0495-7|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KBmGpaD36cMC&q=%22Air+Malawi%22&pg=PA117}}</ref>

1967 saw CAA being [[liquidated|wound down]], and Air Malawi became independent, giving Malawi a [[national airline]]. The airline introduced two ex-CAA [[Vickers Viscount]]s, and a [[Beechcraft Baron|Beech C55 Baron]] joined the fleet. By the end of 1967, the DC-3 was operating on all Air Malawi domestic services. Central African Airways was officially dissolved on 31 December 1967, and responsibility for all flights passed onto the three now independent airlines (Zambia Airways, Air Malawi and Air Rhodesia), of which Air Malawi was officially established by an Act of Parliament in 1967. Membership in the [[International Air Transport Association]] was attained on 1 January 1968.<ref name="guttery" />

===Independent operations (1968–1999)===
The Viscount entered revenue service on 2 April 1968 on the Blantyre to Johannesburg route, and later routes included Blantyre-Salisbury, and Salisbury-Mauritius via Blantyre and Nampula. The late 1960s and early 1970s saw the fleet being modernised and standardised. Two [[Hawker Siddeley HS 748|HS-748]]s were ordered in May 1969, and the airline ordered two [[Britten-Norman Islander|Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander]]s in July 1969. The HS-748s were delivered in December 1969 and January 1970, and the Islanders were delivered in November 1969 and September 1970, allowing for the sale of the Beech Barons. The airline disposed of the last of the DC-3s in March 1970, and in November 1970 it leased a [[BAC One-Eleven]] from [[Zambia Airways]] on a two-year term. With the addition of the BAC One-Eleven, [[Nairobi]] and [[Johannesburg]] were added to the fleet network.<ref name="guttery" />

In February 1972, the airline leased a [[Vickers VC-10]] from [[British Caledonian]], and it entered service on a route from Blantyre to London. British Caledonian sold the aircraft to Air Malawi in November 1974, and the service to [[Gatwick Airport]] in London, via Nairobi, began on 3 December 1974. In 1974, the airline began flights from Blantyre to [[Manzini, Swaziland|Manzini]] in [[Swaziland]] with the HS-748, and operated the route until October 1975. By the end of 1975, the airline operated one VC-10, two One-Elevens, two HS-748s and two Islanders, on a route network which included Amsterdam, Beira, Harare, Johannesburg, Lusaka, Manzini, Ndola, Nairobi, Salisbury and Seychelles.<ref name="guttery" />
[[File:Air Malawi Boeing 747SP Fitzgerald.jpg|thumb|300px|Air Malawi's leased [[Boeing 747SP]] at [[Heathrow Airport]] in 1985.]]
In September 1978, the VC-10 was withdrawn from service, because of increasing operational costs which were a burden on the airline's financial stability, and the two Viscounts were sold to Air Zimbabwe in 1979 and 1980. Three [[Shorts Skyvan]]s and a [[Beechcraft King Air]] were purchased in 1980. The airline moved its international flights in 1983 from Blantyre to [[Lilongwe]] with the inauguration of [[Kamuzu International Airport]], however its maintenance bases remained at Blantyre.<ref name="guttery" />

In April 1985, the airline [[wet lease]]d a [[Boeing 747SP]] from [[South African Airways]] and painted the aircraft in Air Malawi livery. The aircraft was used only for the trip of [[President of Malawi|President]] [[Hastings Banda]] to [[London]], and remained on the [[civil aircraft registry|civil aircraft register]] for only 40 days.<ref name="guttery" /> On 6 November 1987, a [[Shorts Skyvan]] was shot down by [[Military of Mozambique|Mozambican armed forces]] killing all 10 people (8 passengers and 2 crew) on board. The aircraft was on an internal flight, although Mozambican military claimed that the aircraft had violated Mozambique's [[airspace]].<ref name="guttery" /><ref>{{Cite book|last=Kalley|first=Jacqueline Audrey|author2=Schoeman, Elna|author3=Andor, Lydia Eve|title=Southern African political history: a chronology of key political events from independence to mid-1997|publisher=[[Greenwood Publishing Group]]|year=1999|pages=264|chapter=Mozambique|isbn=0-313-30247-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oVrVK2ElINMC}}</ref> In June 1989, the airline ordered two [[Boeing 737 Classic|Boeing 737-500]]s, but before delivery the order was reduced to one [[Boeing 737 Classic|Boeing 737-300]], the first of which arrived in May 1991.<ref name="guttery" /> In April 1991, the airline ordered two Boeing 737-300s in a deal valued at [[US$]]65 million.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/04/16/business/briefs-250191.html|title=Briefs|date=16 April 1991|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> The HS-748 was also replaced in 1991 with an [[ATR 42]], and a [[Dornier 228]] was introduced into the fleet in December 1993.<ref name="guttery" />

===Financial and ownership difficulties (2000–2011)===
In April 2000, it was reported that Air Malawi was in financial difficulty, and that it may have had to sell assets in order to stay afloat, however the airline public relations department refused to comment on the situation.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-5746433_ITM|title=Air Malawi in financial difficulty|date=4 April 2000|publisher=Airline Industry Information|accessdate=18 October 2009}}</ref> The government decided to privatise Air Malawi in 2000.<ref name="reuters280108">{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSL2861004620080128|title=Malawi puts state airline privatisation on hold|last=Banda|first=Mabvuto|date=28 January 2008|publisher=[[Reuters]]|accessdate=19 October 2009|location=Lilongwe}}</ref> 110 employees were laid off in March 2002 in order to help keep costs under control, with [[Mathews Chikaonda]], the former [[Finance Minister (Malawi)|Malawian Finance Minister]] noting that the airline was overstaffed and was a drain on the coffers of the government.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-5985938_ITM|title=Air Malawi cuts 110 jobs.|date=14 March 2002|publisher=Airline Industry Information|accessdate=18 October 2009}}</ref>

After the Malawian government approved a bid by [[South African Airways]] (SAA) and Crown Aviation to take a stake in Air Malawi, in April 2003, the deal with SAA to support the airline fell through. The Malawi Privatisation Committee stated that the bidders would not pay a [[US$]]250,000 security bond, and the government wanted SAA to take an equity stake in the airline, whilst an SAA executive said that the airline had an interest in supporting Air Malawi, but it was more important for the airline to make its investment in [[Air Tanzania]] work.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-23318079_ITM|title=Air Malawi regroups after SAA bid; Following rejection of privatisation offer, Malawi government advised to get strategic recovery plan under way.|last=Birns|first=Hilka|date=13 May 2003|publisher=[[Airline Business]]|accessdate=19 October 2009|location=Cape Town}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/saa-to-increase-nigeria-flights-exits-malawi-2003-04-15|title=SAA to increase Nigeria flights, exits Malawi |date=15 April 2003|publisher=[[Reuters]]|accessdate=19 October 2009}}</ref>

In November 2007, it was announced that the Malawian government was in talks with [[Comair (South Africa)|Comair]] of South Africa over a partnership deal with Air Malawi. The deal would have seen Comair acquiring the air traffic rights of Air Malawi, some of the assets including a Boeing 737-300, and the launching of a new airline to be called ''Comair Malawi''. It was alleged that Comair was only interested in acquiring the 737-300<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/air-malawi-in-talks-with-comair-on-possible-asset-sale-2007-11-02|title=Air Malawi in talks with Comair on possible asset sale |last=Chimwala|first=Marcel|date=2 November 2007|publisher=Engineering News|accessdate=19 October 2009}}</ref><ref name="daily020108">{{Cite news|url=http://www.dailytimes.bppmw.com/article.asp?ArticleID=7812 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070622180308/http://www.dailytimes.bppmw.com/article.asp?ArticleID=7812 |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 June 2007 |title=Going beyond the balance sheet |last=Mchazime |first=Henry |date=2 January 2008 |publisher=[[The Daily Times (Malawi)|The Daily Times]] |accessdate=19 October 2009 }}</ref> In the 2007 financial year, Air Malawi posted a profit of [[Malawian kwacha|K]]135 million, an improvement on the K854 million loss it posted in 2006.<ref name="daily020108" /> In early 2008, negotiations with Comair broke down in dispute over the terms of the arranged deal; the Malawian government preferring a strategic partnership, whilst Comair wished to take an 80% stake in the airline.<ref name="reuters280108" /><ref name="reuters100908">{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSLA29693620080910|title=Malawi to sell 49 pct of airline to Comair|last=Banda|first=Mabvuto|date=10 September 2008|publisher=[[Reuters]]|accessdate=19 October 2009|location=Lilongwe}}</ref>

In September 2008, it was announced that the Malawian government had agreed to sell a 49% stake in Air Malawi to Comair, with [[Roy Commsy]], Malawian Deputy Transport Minister stating that the government insisted on a 49% stake as being in the best interests of the nation.<ref name="reuters100908" /> It was revealed that Comair would purchase the 49% shareholding in Air Malawi for K490,000 (approximately US$3,500), with an option to increase the stake to its desired 80%.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nationmw.net/newsdetail.asp?article_id=2309 |title=Malawi govt offers Air Malawi at K0.5 million |date=9 September 2009 |publisher=[[The Nation (Malawi)|The Nation]] |accessdate=19 October 2009 |url-status=usurped |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403164621/http://www.nationmw.net/newsdetail.asp?article_id=2309 |archivedate=3 April 2015 }}</ref>

In August 2009, it was announced that Air Malawi was in negotiations with [[Zambezi Airlines]] for a strategic partnership.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nyasatimes.com/business/air-malawi-in-partnership-talks-with-zambezi-airlines.html |title=Air Malawi in partnership talks with Zambezi Airlines |date=21 August 2009 |work=[[Nyasa Times]] |accessdate=18 October 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090826143719/http://www.nyasatimes.com/business/air-malawi-in-partnership-talks-with-zambezi-airlines.html |archivedate=26 August 2009 }}</ref>

In October 2009, Air Malawi started an e-commerce project to cut down costs and provide realtime access to reservations for online customers and travel agents.

===Liquidation of Air Malawi and creation of Malawi Airlines (2012–2013)=== 
[[Ethiopian Airlines]] was reported as moving closer to acquiring a 49pc share in Air Malawi, after the Private Public Partnership (PPP) commission of Malawi declared it the "preferred bidder" to be a strategic equity partner in the soon-to-be restructured Malawi Airlines, intending it to be part of its strategy to form a Southern African hub, according to a senior management member at Ethiopian Airlines.<ref name="closes shop" />

In July 2013 Ethiopian Airlines was confirmed as the new partner; it would own 49% of the new airline, while the Malawian government would own 51%.<ref name=MalawiVoice1 /> The new airline would be called [[Malawi Airlines]] in order to shake-off the negative reputation of the airline, as well as prevent "predatory creditors who would seek to embarrass the airline", bringing an end to the 46-year-old airline.<ref name=MalawiVoice1>{{cite news|title=Air Malawi Now To Be Called Malawian Airlines |url=http://www.malawivoice.com/2013/07/04/air-malawi-now-to-be-called-malawian-airlines-34814/ |accessdate=9 September 2013 |newspaper=Malawi Voice |date=4 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219223420/http://www.malawivoice.com/2013/07/04/air-malawi-now-to-be-called-malawian-airlines-34814/ |archivedate=19 February 2014  }}</ref>

==Corporate affairs==

===Ownership and subsidiaries===
Air Malawi was wholly owned by the [[Government of Malawi]].

Because the airline was in voluntary liquidation, through the Privatisation Commission (PC), the government restructured Air Malawi; it created a new company, Air Malawi (2012) Limited, as a step towards selection of a competent strategic equity partner (SEP) to acquire new shares in Air Malawi through a recapitalisation scheme, said PC chief executive officer Jimmy Lipunga.  He said to sustain the country's [[Bilateral air transport agreement|Bilateral Air Services Agreements]], the level of participation within the SEP should bring the participation of Malawian nationals, both with the SEP and government shareholding, to 51 per cent.<ref name="MalawiToday0609012" />

For this purpose, the new company would exclude its existing wholly owned subsidiaries, Air Cargo Limited and Lilongwe Handling Company Limited, which are thought to be profitable, and which will subsequently be delinked from Air Malawi Limited.<ref name="MalawiToday0609012" />

===Business trends===

Air Malawi was consistently loss-making.  The figures that had been made available for recent years, mainly in Malawi Government Economic Reports or in statements by government officials, are shown below (for fiscal years ending 30 June):
[[File:Air Malawi Boeing 737-500.jpg|thumb|A [[Boeing 737 Classic|Boeing 737-500]] of Air Malawi, pictured in 2006.]]
{| class="wikitable"  style="margin:1em auto;"
|- style="text-align:center;"
! 
!2004
!2005
!2006
!2007
!2008
!2009
!2010
!2011
!2012
|-
| Turnover ([[Malawian kwacha|K]]m)
| align=center|n/a
| align=center|n/a
| align=center|n/a
| align=center|n/a
| align=center|3,078
| align=center|2,600
| align=center|1,654
| align=center|n/a
! align=center|n/a
|-
| Net Profits/Losses after tax (Km)
| align=center|{{color|red|−43}}
| align=center|{{color|red|−730}}
| align=center|{{color|red|−854}}
| align=center|132
| align=center|{{color|red|−922}}
| align=center|{{color|red|−1,471}}
| align=center|{{color|red|−1,169}}
| align=center|n/a
! align=center|n/a
|-
| Number of employees (at year end)
| align=center|n/a
| align=center|n/a
| align=center|n/a
| align=center|n/a
| align=center|n/a
| align=center|n/a
| align=center|n/a
| align=center|n/a
! align=center|c. 270
|-
| Number of passengers (m)
| align=center|n/a
| align=center|n/a
| align=center|n/a
| align=center|n/a
| align=center|n/a
| align=center|n/a
| align=center|n/a
| align=center|n/a
! align=center|n/a
|-
| Passenger load factor (%)
| align=center|n/a
| align=center|n/a
| align=center|n/a
| align=center|n/a
| align=center|n/a
| align=center|n/a
| align=center|n/a
| align=center|n/a
! align=center|n/a
|-
| Number of aircraft (at year end)
| align=center|
| align=center|
| align=center|
| align=center|
| align=center|3
| align=center|5
| align=center|3
| align=center|3
! align=center|2
|-
| <small>''Notes/sources''</small>
| align=center|<ref name="malawiana">{{cite web |url=https://groups.yahoo.com/group/MALAWIANA/message/13314 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130217022555/http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MALAWIANA/message/13314 |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 February 2013 |title=Air Malawi lost K20m weekly on Dubai route |publisher=Malawiana.net |accessdate=27 January 2013}}</ref>
| align=center|<ref name="malawiana" />
| align=center|<ref name="bizcommunity">{{cite web |url=http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/415/423/21621.html |title=Comair's Air Malawi take-over bid grounded |publisher=Bizcommunity.com |accessdate=26 January 2013}}</ref>
| align=center|<ref name="bizcommunity" />
| align=center|<ref name="government">{{cite web |url=http://psip.malawi.gov.mw/reports/docs/Economic_Report_2011.pdf |title=Annual Economic Report 2011 |publisher=Malawi Government |accessdate=26 January 2013}}</ref>
| align=center|<ref name="government" />
| align=center|<ref name="government" />
| align=center|{{cn|date=August 2025}}
| align=center|<ref name="chaviation">{{cite web |url=http://www.ch-aviation.ch/portal/news?search=1&typeGeneral=1&typeRoute=1&carrier=Air+Malawi |title=Ethiopian selected as partner for new Air Malawi|publisher=ch-aviation |accessdate=19 May 2013}}</ref>  
|}

==Destinations==
Air Malawi operated to the following destinations, {{as of|2011|11|lc=y}}.<ref name="Route Maps">{{cite web|title= Air Malawi Route Maps|url= http://www.airmalawi.com/Destinations/tabid/129/Default.aspx|publisher= Air Malawi|accessdate= 10 November 2011}}</ref>

 {|class="wikitable"
|-
|bgcolor=#98FB98 width=20pt align=center|<sup>†</sup>||[[Airline hub|Hub]]
|-
|bgcolor=#FFD1DC width=20pt align=center|<sup>¤</sup>||[[Focus city]]
|}
{|class="sortable wikitable"
! width=100px|City
! width=100px|Country
! width=50px|IATA
! width=50px|ICAO
! width=200px|Airport
! class="unsortable"|Refs 
|-bgcolor=#98FB98
|[[Blantyre, Malawi|Blantyre]]||{{MWI}}||align=center|BLZ||align=center|FWCL||bgcolor=#98FB98|[[Chileka International Airport]]||align=center|<ref name="Route Maps"/>
|-
|[[Dar es Salaam]]||{{TAN}}||align=center|DAR||align=center|HTDA||[[Julius Nyerere International Airport]]||align=center|<ref name="Route Maps"/>
|-
|[[Harare]]||{{ZIM}}||align=center|HRE||align=center|FVHA||[[Harare Airport]]||align=center|<ref name="Route Maps"/>
|-
|[[Johannesburg]]||{{RSA}}||align=center|JNB||align=center|FAJS||[[OR Tambo International Airport]]||align=center|<ref name="Route Maps"/>
|-bgcolor=#FFD1DC
|[[Lilongwe]]||{{MWI}}||align=center|LLW||align=center|FWKI||bgcolor=#FFD1DC|[[Kamuzu International Airport]]||align=center|<ref name="Route Maps"/>
|-
|[[Lusaka]]||{{ZAM}}||align=center|LUN||align=center|FLLS||[[Lusaka International Airport]]||align=center|<ref name="Route Maps"/>
|}

==Fleet==
===Historic fleet===
The Air Malawi fleet had previously included the following aircraft:

{| class="wikitable" border="1" cellpadding="3" style="margin:1em auto; border-collapse:collapse"
|+ '''Air Malawi Historic Fleet'''
|- bgcolor=#EA2924
!Aircraft
!Total
!Retired in
|-
|[[BAC One-Eleven]]
|2
|1991
|-
|[[Boeing 737-300]]
|1
|2009
|-
|[[Boeing 737-500]]
|1
|2007
|-
|[[Boeing 747SP]]
|1
|1985
|-
|[[Vickers VC-10]]
|1
|1979
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Commons category}}

{{Portal bar|Malawi|Aviation|Companies}}
{{Airlines of Malawi}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Airlines established in 1964]]
[[Category:Airlines disestablished in 2013]]
[[Category:Defunct airlines of Malawi]]
[[Category:Blantyre]]
[[Category:Government of Malawi]]
[[Category:Government-owned airlines]]
[[Category:1964 establishments in Malawi]]