Commercial airlines resume Malawi flights August end
Government has now confirmed that commercial airlines in the country resumes this month-end amid tough Covid-19 preventive measures.
Acting director of Civil Aviation James Chakwera said there is no need to keep the Malawi airports closed when neighbouring countries have resumed international and domestic flights.
“We don’t know when this pandemic will end. Life has to go on,” he said.
He said Malawi should not be an island when all neighbouring countries; Zambia, Mozambique and Tanzania have opened their airspaces amid rising cases of covid-19 infections.
Chakwera said his department is now liaising with the presidential task force on covid-19 on how best to prevent the further spread of covid-19 infections when the airports are open for international flights.
Its really happy to hear this God bless Malawi with its peaple
Its a great thing, but all airlines (not only Malawi) must take all steps necessary to ensure virus cannot transmit and spread. Recent news reports that the virus that causes Covid-19 has mutated and has become a more transmissive strain. Also earlier studies and news reports have shown that: 1) the virus is air-borne 2) there are people who are asymptomatic ie. infectious yet without exhibiting symptoms and who do pass through the Covid-19 lab detection testing kit and temperature scanners. 3) The virus is able to be transmitted between people more easily in the closed air space of an airplane cabin.
In terms of prevention technology that Govt of Malawi can investigate into adopting, is an electric operated Covid-19 particle zapper (manufactured by an Indian research lab, and available commercially) that creates phase beams that zap Covid-19 particles on surfaces, thus santizing the surface.
I am happy to hear this, finally we can go home, i have been here wiating for 5 months without a job, I lost my job in this Covid 19 epidemic, we’ve all been affected in different ways because of this situation, in such hard times we need hope of reopening the airports. we just have to work with this situation because I don’t think it will just disappear, it will take some time, meanwhile our life can’t be on hold, measures, precautions and instructions should be put in place in order to minimize the spread. Opening of the airport is welcoming news, this is good development, the economy will fail if we keep being ignorate. As to the opening of the airport, is there a specific date? For example Kenya airport reported they will resume international Airport on the 1st of August which they did, we had hope and were hoping on a spefic date, which date is Malawi airport opening? I want to finally come home. Chileka international Airport here i come. God bless Africa, God bless Malawi. Which date are you opening????
I’ve booked a ticket on 15 August with Ethiopian Airlines, I don’t know what is going to happen, I hope they open on 15.
Airports need to supply personal protective equipment and the right training, authorities must ensure safety and the safety of staff in all our active hubs.
On top of this, touchless processing will come to the fore. Face recognition technology may well dominate in future. That could mean a huge cost even though the investment in fingerprint technology has not yet had time to deliver a return. So, costs will escalate, and revenues will continue to be low. The question is how long these changes will last?
Are we witnessing a permanent change in customer behavior and the travel process? Nobody can answer that with any confidence right now.
I think it’s too late, it might be open in mid of August.
Am looking forward to the day Malawi will be independent with independent mind.
Malawi from 1994 started acting like the neighbors next door, they buy a chicken, dad get us a chicken as well. No independent mindset, just dependent copy cat. Remember the saying that : the majority sometimes mean that all the fools are on the same side.
Since its only for returning citizens or residents and most countries also say they’re open to citizens and returning residents, how is this expected to work.
Just shot yourselves in the foot by closing air space while land boarders where majority of movements take place remained pretty much open. Countries hard hit by covid-19 have their airlines flying and people going on with their businesses/holidays, etc.
Sounds simplistic. You do not open simply because others are opening. You put in place measures to prevent contagion of the virus of your customers. It makes flying on a Malawi plane scary. You were supposed to do the consultations with the covid presidential club prior to announcing this so that people can trust that you know what you are doing.
Caution needs to be reviewed
Kenya Airways is resuming on August 16 with its first flight to KIA. Check KQ website to see a schedule of resumption of flights.
Long overdue
That’s well done move forward. Let the airline industry help the process of economic recovery.
Eya ka! tuchedwelanji??