LAM Mozambique Airlines grounded due to lack of fuel

In Mozambique, aviation fuel is provided by British Petroleum. Now BP has formally advised the Mozambique national airline LAM that it will no longer provide fuel to the airline because it is owed $3 million in outstanding payments.

On Friday, LAM confirmed that it had cancelled all flights due to a severe fuel shortage in the country. The airline released the following statement: “The shortage of fuel is also affecting the northern city of Pemba, and scheduled flights to that region will suffer restrictions in the transportation of passengers and cargo”.

Locals say that the airline’s difficulties are not just missed fuel payments: there are complaints of delayed flights and poor passenger service. And the airline’s finances are not good either: it has not made a profit in the last twenty years.