The Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) has announced that it has lifted the ban on Mozambique Airlines (LAM) from flying over its airspace, which had previously been imposed because of a debt.

According to Savannah newspaperIn its Friday (05) edition, CAAZ doesn't mention the reasons behind the lifting of the ban, but it is known that it was thanks to the intervention of the Mozambican Executive with the Mozambican authorities.

In the same publication, quoting a LAM source, it is said that negotiations are underway between the parties, bearing in mind that Zimbabwe has a huge debt with Mozambique, relating to the supply of electricity.

LAM is accused of failing to pay overflight fees in Zimbabwean airspace.

In 2018, South African consultancy Fly Modern Ark (FMA) was hired to revive Air Zimbabwe, a local airline that was facing serious liquidity and fleet problems. FMA presented an investment proposal of around 220 million dollars which would culminate in the transfer of 25% of AirZim's shareholder structure.

With this amount, it would be possible to purchase 10 aircraft, staff training, technical support tools and another part would be spent on operations, marketing and security.

However, the FMA did not keep its promise, which displeased the Zimbabwean authorities.

FMA is also in Mozambique, but since it was hired to stabilize LAM's accounts, which were in the red, the state of the fleet has worsened. LAM used to have a fleet made up of two Boeng737-700s, three Q400s and three Embraer 145s from subsidiary MEX and did not lease any aircraft on a full-time basis, as is the case now.

(Source DR)