LAM Mozambique Airlines: What to Know Before Booking

History and positioning

Born out of the colonial air infrastructure and turned into a flag carrier after independence, LAM went through years of scarce investment that progressively shrank its operating fleet. The Mozambican government is now preparing to sell 91% of the state's shares to private parties, in an attempt to restore its financial sustainability.

The fleet

The airline's own fleet has shrunk to one DHC-8-Q400 and one Embraer E145 used on domestic links, while a tender is under way to renew the international fleet with three Embraer E190s and four Boeing 737-700s.

Routes and network

Within the country it connects Maputo with Beira and Nampula, while regionally it reaches Johannesburg, Dar es Salaam and Nairobi. In 2024 the airline cut the routes to Harare and Lusaka, and suspended its only intercontinental link, to Lisbon, after a loss of 21 million dollars recorded on the route.

It remains useful for those who need to move between Mozambican cities where overland transport alternatives take much longer. It is not the choice for those looking for a link to Europe, a route that currently does not exist and is not authorized in EU airspace. A practical tip: with such a small fleet, schedule and route changes have been frequent during the ongoing restructuring, so confirm the flight status a few days before departure rather than relying only on the initial booking.