The Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) has lifted a ban placed on LAM Mozambique Airlines using Zimbabwe’s airspace.
ZIMBABWE BANS MOZAMBIQUE AIRLINES
On Friday 5 July, Savana reported Mozambique’s national carrier Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique (LAM) was banned from flying over Zimbabwe airspace.
Due to the ban, LAM Mozambique Airlines could not fly through Zimbabwe airspace.
HIGHER OPERATING COSTS
This situation forced Mozambique’s flag carrier to take a longer route on one of its flight routes.
This longer route increases LAM’s operating costs, making flights more costly for the airline as more jet fuel is used.
The longer flight route also leads to increased carbon emissions.
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LONGER FLIGHT TIMES DUE TO AIRSPACE BAN
A flight between Maputo and Lisbon took an additional 50 minutes on the Maputo-Lisbon routing, due to Zimbabwe’s airspace ban.
A typical flight between Maputo and Lisbon generally takes around 10 hours.
However, due to LAM Mozambique’s airspace ban by Zimbabwe’s Civil Aviation Authority, the flight to Lisbon took nearly 11 hours.
DEBT ISSUE
Club of Mozambique reports that the banning allegedly related to debts owed to Zimbabwe for the use of its airspace.
Savana Independencia reported on Friday, that Zimbabwe will now allow flights operated by Mozambique’s national airline to fly through its airspace once again.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe did not give reasons for the lifting of the ban.
TIT FOR TAT
A source from Zimbabwe’s CAA told Savana that the lifted ban came as a result of intervention from a Mozambican executive who had dealings with Zimbabwe’s Civil Aviation Authority.
The same source mentioned continued negotiations between the parties, in light of the fact that Zimbabwe too owes large sums of money to its neighbour Mozambique.
Zimbabwe allegedly has huge debts with Mozambique – relating to the supply of electricity.
