New African airline takes off in Malawi

The government of Malawi and African powerhouse Ethiopian Airlines have finalised the creation of a new national airline in the Southern African country, called Malawian Airlines.

Officials in Addis Ababa confirmed the government of Malawi will hold a 51 per cent stake in new carrier, with Ethiopian Airlines holding the remaining shares.

Negotiations had been ongoing for months as replaced the collapsed Air Malawi with a new professionally managed national airline supported by a strong partner.

After ASKY in West Africa, Malawian Airlines will be the second such joint venture from Ethiopian Airlines, which is considered one of the strongest players on the continent.

The move is part of Ethiopian Airlines plan to assert its continental leadership through both direct expansion and through strategic partnerships.

It is hoped this will help feed extra traffic into its long-haul network, while simultaneously drawing in traffic from rivals in the region.