Air Malawi improves on cargo services in UK
It looks as if a dove of hope and accomplishment has finally winged its way back to diaspora Malawians in the United Kingdom as the once troubled flagship airliner, Air Malawi is back with a full-throttle cargo services in a bid to reclaim its tagline as Africa’s friendly airline, Nyasa Times has established.
Air Malawi which in the recent years had been dogged with a surmount of difficulty in its operations seems to be crawling back to serious business with a full force as it has just revamped its cargo services department at its offices at Heathrow Airport, London in the United Kingdom (UK) with a an improved service delivery.
To revamp its service and boost quality delivery, Air Malawi has dispatched to London a Malawian renowned air cargo service connoisseur to turn things around and to restore the company’s lost glory and instil faith among both Malawian customers and the
international clientele.
Malawian Expertise
Perhaps Air Malawi has been driven by an old true but overused cliché that only an iron sharpens an iron. For the first time in over 30 years since the airliner opened an office in UK, Air Malawi has appointed Malawian with expertise in cargo services to head the London branch.
Nyasa Times caught up with Air Malawi’s newly appointed Steve Msamala as Cargo Sales Manager in the UK in London, who explains that the cargo services has revamped its delivery services to suit people’s needs in the UK who sends cargo to Malawi.
Msamala, an experienced air travel marketer and administrator and a holder of a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA), International Air Transport Association (IATA) Airline management says Air Malawi is now safe and reliable for the clientele.
“Our rates are unbeatable and so competitively reasonable with excellence in customer care services. We have more than 30 years of experience of flying cargo,” said Msamala adding “Use us and enjoy the Malawian hospitality and warmth. We are everything Malawian.”
Uphill Challenge
Msamala said it is an uphill challenge for him to be the first indigenous Malawian to head an office that has for a long time been run by non Malawian nationals , but he was quick to declare that that he is more than ready to take up the task and serve his country from a ‘foreign land’ with professionalism, adding that Air Malawi cargo services is an improved facility and aims to satisfy its customers to the core.
“I am ready to serve my fellow Malawians and other nationalities who use the facility to the best of my ability for I know that Air Malawi is a flag carrier and whatever we do we represent our country’s pride,” he said adding; “Our hospitality is second to none and we don’t just call ourselves ‘Africa’s Friendly Airline’ for nothing. Air Malawi is one such organisation that truly represents the warmth of the Malawian people.”
Fides Jim Kachale a resident of Nottingham who regularly sends goods to Malawi told Nyasa Times in a separate interview that he has noticed a big change at Air Malawi since the arrival of a Malawian manager at the airline’s cargo office in terms of service delivery.
Said Kachale: “Services have greatly improved since the coming of the new Malawian manager at Air Malawi cargo office in London. For a long time, I have been using Air Malawi, to be honest their services were not up to the game and I had to use other facilities such as Tudo. It just didn’t make sense to me for a Malawian company not to have any Malawian who you can relate to.”
“Now that there is a Malawian at the helm who is not only friendly but also very professional in the way he deals with his customers I feel more comfortable doing business with Air Malawi and it my hope that Air Malawi will consider to have passenger plane services in operation. It pains to see a lot of Malawian travelling on other African Airliners. When you live abroad and travel or use your local airline it feels better for you feel at home,” said Kachale.
A Malawian lady, Gertrude Banda who lives in Essex also told Nyasa Times that she is happy to see a Malawian in charge of business affairs at the London offices saying it was strange that there was no Malawian at Air Malawi offices.
“It is a positive development that we have a Malawian running a Malawian company otherwise it was rather bizarre that Air Malawi in the UK until recently was like a foreign company. I urge all Malawians in the UK to use Air Malawi so we can boost our own company other than using other foreign cargo services. We must be proud of our own country and thus we must use Air Malawi,” said a visibly excited Banda.
Moved Offices
Meanwhile, Msamala has announced that as part of the improvement process Air Malawi has moved offices from its old premises to new offices.
“We advice all our valued customers that we have moved from our old offices to new beautiful and spacious offices at Heathrow Airport within Heathrow Airport effective from 2nd July 2012. Our new offices are more accessible to our customers and our new address is Air Malawi, Unit 7, X2 Centre, Hatton Cross, Middlesex, London and the Post Code is TW6 2SR,”stated Msamala.
Msamala also told Nyasa Times that customers wishing to send things to Malawi can contact him directly on office Telephone numbers during office hours: (44) 01784257222/01784257225 /01784257240 or call him on his Mobile (44) 07580-232994 after office hours around the clock.
Air Malawi can also be contacted via fax on number (44) 01784-257600 or alternatively by the following emails: [email protected] or [email protected]
Msamala said Air Malawi in the UK wishes to appeal and encourage all Malawians living in the UK to support them by sending goods to Malawi in order to help boost the country’s economy.
“We promise and guarantee our customers that our services and we will serve all customers with diligence, assiduousness and satisfaction. We urge diaspora Malawians to support us so can boost our economy,” urged Msamala.
