Air Malawi flight delays over strike

Details

Category: Local News

Published on Friday, 15 June 2012 13:13

Written by Rhodes Msonkho & Madalitso Phiri

Passengers aboard an Air Malawi plane destined for Johannesburg were on Friday morning stranded at the Chileka International Airport after being caught up in a strike by the workers of the airline who were demanding a salary increment.

The company has been struggling financially for years forcing some of its aircrafts to be grounded and operating using leased planes which are said to be costly as well.

According to a recent government report, Air Malawi’s debts are into billions of kwacha’s.

An employee of the airline told Capital Radio that they have been demanding a salary increase for a long time but have always been turned down by management due to its financial position.

She said the latest move has also been necessitated by the recent devaluation of the Malawi kwacha.

And one of the passengers stranded told the radio that there was no-one to assist them, despite boarding the plane for almost two hours.

“We were told to check in at six o’clock in the morning as the flight was scheduled to depart at 8 in the morning but up to now no one is attending to us. Even the cabin crew is not here. It’s like there is a strike or something,” the passenger said.

The company’s Tariffs and Industry Manager Tony Chimpukuso appealed for more time to investigate the issue, when Capital Radio contacted him.

“Am at the airport now we are still talking, then I will come back to you,” Chimpukuso said.

Chimpukuso later confirmed of resolving the matter but didn’t give details if the cabin crews’ salaries were raised or not.

Passengers finally left the airport after being delayed by at least six hours due to the strike.