It has been reported in The Daily Times of today that Kenyan Airways has been booted out of Lilongwe-Lusaka route following a long outstanding dispute between Kenyan Airways and Air Malawi. Kenyan Airways terminated the Commercial Agreement with Air Malawi in February, 2009 after just barely a year of its existence. However, KA continued to service the route on Fifth Freedom Traffic Rights and charged the lowest fair possible to attract customers. Malawi government department of Civil Aviation is the one that has resolved the dispute after sitting on it for a long time to the displeasure of Air Malawi, yet Kenyan Airways never paid any taxes or fees to the Malawi Government. The route will now be either serviced by Air Malawi or Botswana. Air Botswana is a new flight partner for struggling Air Malawi.
Kenyan Airways is one of the dominant and reliable airline in the region. Air Malawi which is 100% government owned is struggling to satisfy its customers as it finds it hard to maintain flight schedules. Efforts to find a private partner are taking time to materialise. Yet for Malawi to boost its highly potential tourism industry a reliable airline is a must.
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