Mozambique Airlines (LAM) today announced the acquisition of “two owned aircraft”, Embraer 190s, valued at US$25 million, describing the achievement as a “small step” for the company, but “a big step” for the country. “They are not leased aircraft; they are LAM’s own aircraft,” said Agostinho Langa, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ports and Railways of Mozambique (CFM), a shareholder in the Mozambican flag carrier, during a press conference in Maputo. The 100-seat aircraft cost US$25 million and are certified to the “European ‘standard’ level,” Langa assured.
“They were flying in the Netherlands (…) and have had all maintenance carried out,” he added. According to Langa, the two aircraft arrived on Saturday night, but without LAM’s livery due to delays in availability. “We believe that at the beginning of next month the spaces will already be available (…) for the aircraft to be painted in LAM’s colours,” said Agostinho Langa, assuring that they “are ready and in condition” to fly.
He also said that 20 pilots have been trained to operate the aircraft, 12 of whom are already in Mozambique, with eight expected to arrive in the coming days. Langa recalled that between five and six aircraft had been promised by the end of this year, but the target was not achieved, with work underway for new acquisitions during the first quarter of 2026. “We are fulfilling the mission entrusted to us (…) this is a small step for LAM because we know that this is not our goal,” said Agostinho Langa, adding that the fleet will be reinforced with “one more Airbus” in the coming days to meet demand during the Christmas and New Year festive season.
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Mozambique’s Minister of Transport and Logistics, João Matlombe, said it is not yet time for celebration because “the challenges are enormous” and acknowledged that “only one step has been taken in the face of a very complex problem”. “But we also cannot, with humility, fail to recognise – and with some satisfaction – the effort that the company, and the group of shareholders currently leading it, have been making over the last 10 months since we assumed this new cycle of governance,” said Matlombe. According to the Mozambican minister, the shareholders managed to “resurrect the company,” ensuring predictability of flights, in addition to stabilising sales volumes and expenses.
“The next phase is the most difficult. We planned, as the Chairman rightly said, to deliver six aircraft; unfortunately, we are not presenting them yet, but we also do not bow our heads (…). It is not for lack of money, but because the process is demanding,” explained João Matlombe. LAM had already leased an Airbus A319 in Ukraine in October, with capacity to carry 144 passengers, to “reinforce its fleet,” the Mozambican Ministry of Transport announced at the time.
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