LAM

We took four flights with this so called airline over the course of 5 days. These amounted to a return from Johannesburg to Maputo and return domestic flights from Maputo to Vilanculos. None of the flights were remotely on time and one, after a delay of some 5 hours was cancelled. For me this was the defining moment of LAM in which their management hadn’t a clue what was going on much less the skills to communicate at least the fact of a delay to passengers. At the point of cancellation they seemed to have appointed a 14 year old girl to scribble out a few vouchers and shepherd us onto a bus that took us to a third rate hotel for overnight. We only learned of the pick up time next day from a fellow passenger who was in contact with a friend who worked for the airline. In the event the bus to the airport turned up nearly an hour late and took a circuitous route to the airport due to having to drop off the drivers wife at the bust station. Of course we needn’t have worried about being late to the airport as the plane was …you’ve guessed it…delayed! LAM is extensively referred to as LATE AND MAYBE and worse still even the staff seem to accept this. On each of our flights, there were tedious problems with the airline’s computer system that delayed things at check in and on three of these, our boarding cards were hand written. Quaint it might be but there is no place for such nonsense in modern aviation. I’ve since heard tales from enough sources to support credibility that senior managers often treat aircraft as their personal planes and have rerouted scheduled flights to get themselves around the country. Frankly this airline is a shambles and if it wasn’t heavily subsidised by the Mozambican taxpayers would have gone bust long ago. Yes they are cheap but I for one will never trust them again. You certainly get what you pay for with LAM and sadly often less even than that.

Flew from Villankulo to Jo’Berg via Inhamban. Plane was late to arrive in Villankulo with no communication to passengers. Once plane arrived, after a significant amount of time, we were told the airplane was broken. Waited two hours while mechanic was flown in from Maputo. Took mechanic another 2+ hours to fix plane. Took off with sun going down. Landed at Inhamban in the dark in the rain (airport not set up for instrument landings). Surprised to see the runway had no landing lights, but, rather, someone had lit a small number of torches (think citronella candles) on either side of the runway. Picked up passengers in Inhambane. Took off again for Jo’Berg in pitch black (again using only torches for runway light). Hit turbulence shortly after takeoff. Interior lights on airplane began to flicker on and off. Mechanic — who had remained with the flight since Villankulo — came storming from the back of the plane into the cockpit, which alarmed passengers. Landed in Jo’Berg 6+ hours late. Missed connection to Cape Town. Was told by airline rep that LAM would handle rebooking. That never happened. Customer service closed. Had to pay $600 for new flights. Lost entire day of Honeymoon.

My flight was originally scheduled for 12h10.
They have send me a e-mail a week before to say this is delayed and will only depart at 16h10, that was still okay. The day when I had to fly, I checked in at about 14h15 and went through passport control becuse my flight was suppose to leave at 16h10 (that was the delay time stated) and waited for friends to come through that was on the same flight. Only to hear later they can’t check in because the flight is only leaving at 19h10. When I asked to move my return date 2 days on or even just 1 day, because I have wasted a day already with this whole delay thing and plans were down the drain. They charged me more than what my ticket cost initially.
If you want to be on time don’t fly this airline, you will save your self alot of money!

Great experience, flew from Pemba to Nairobi. Excellent service at airport and in air. Great food and good value for money.

Excelen tour from Maputo to Pemba in last December. Nothing unusual,like normal carrier in Europa . Good service onboard.