Maputo, Aug. 17, 2026 (Lusa) - The fleet of Linhas Aéreas de Moçambique (LAM) has grown to 10 aircraft with the entry into service of a further Embraer under the Air Mozambique brand on Monday, the state-owned airline announced.
In a statement, LAM said that the Embraer 190, christened «Zambeze», will begin operating on Monday under the Air Mozambique brand, making an inaugural flight between Maputo and Beira, in Sofala province, central Mozambique.
The first of these two aircraft began operations on Friday, as reported by the state-owned airline LAM, carrying out an inaugural flight between Maputo and Nacala, in Nampula province, becoming the first of two further aircraft acquired by the company to enter service bearing the new commercial name Air Mozambique.
Previously, the government stated that the introduction of the new Air Mozambique brand and the expansion of the fleet are part of LAM's restructuring and recovery plan, which aims to increase operational efficiency, ensure the company's financial sustainability, and improve the quality and reliability of services provided to passengers.
Under the name Air Mozambique, the carrier is now adopting a new visual identity linked to the company's transformation strategy, which Mozambican President Daniel Chapo launched as a priority a year ago.
At the handover of the first aircraft under this brand, the Minister for Transport and Logistics, João Matlombe, framed the investment as part of the government's strategy to strengthen mobility and the country's economic and territorial integration.
«Mozambique is a vast country, with its main centres of economic activity spread across different regions. Therefore, the movement of people, goods, services and factors of production is a fundamental condition for the functioning of the economy,» said Matlombe, as quoted in the press release.
The minister then recalled the challenges faced by the airline in recent years, emphasising that the carrier's recovery required structural measures, including reorganisation, cost control, improved management processes, operational streamlining and strengthened operational capacity.
João Matlombe added that LAM's recovery goes beyond the introduction of new aircraft and includes a more profound transformation of its management and operational models: «Our aim is to create a more efficient, financially sustainable airline capable of providing a regular, safe and high-quality service.» The entry into service of the two aircraft comes at a time when the company's fleet is expanding.
On Tuesday, the chair of LAM's management committee, Dane Kondic, said the company would have 10 operational aircraft, up from three when the current management took office on 1 May 2025, with the addition of two Embraer 190s.
«We currently have two of our own aircraft in operation and six partner aircraft flying, making a total of eight. Two more aircraft, the new Embraer 190s, will join the fleet this week,» Kondic said at the time in Beira.
According to the manager, the company expects to expand the fleet to 12 aircraft by the end of the year, as increasing operational capacity is the top priority for improving domestic connectivity in a country with great distances between the main economic centres.
LAM is undergoing a major restructuring following several years marked by operational challenges stemming from its small fleet and limited investment.
As part of this process, Hidroeléctrica de Cahora Bassa (HCB) acquired a 25.2% stake in the airline's share capital in 2025, whilst Empresa Moçambicana de Seguros (Emose) and Caminhos de Ferro de Moçambique (CFM) each came to hold 15.4%.
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