Airlink resumes flights to Mozambique after aircraft seizure dispute

South Africa’s largest independent airline, Airlink, will resume flights to Nampula in Mozambique on Thursday, after it was given assurance that its aircraft would be not be seized by Mozambican officials at the local airport, the airline said on Wednesday.

The cancellation of flights and suspension of operations of flights on Tuesday came after two Mozambican passengers, who were offloaded from an Airlink flight in Johannesburg this week for alleged unruly behaviour, instituted a claim for damages in a Mozambican court.

Seizing aircraft

Airlink said that the offloading of passengers and their family members complied with South African civil aviation regulations and the South African Civil Aviation Authority.

In December of last year, the Mozambique Court granted the applicants an interim order to seize at least three Airlink aircraft on an ex parte basis, with a hearing scheduled for mid-January 2025.

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However, on the same day, Mozambique court officials attempted to seize an Airlink aircraft at Nampula Airport but were unsuccessful.

Intervention

Airlink sought intervention from the Department of International Relations (Dirco), the Department of Transport and the SA Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA).

Flights will resume following intervention from South African and Mozambican officials who have granted Airlink permission into Mozambique without the threat of an aircraft seize.

Airlink CEO and Managing Director, Rodger Foster, said the decision to resume operations to Nampula indicates the situation has been defused.

“While an attempt to seize our aircraft remains a possibility as long as the Nampula Provincial Court order has not been withdrawn, we have been assured that local officials will not attempt to execute it.  

“We maintain the court order, along with the claim against Airlink by two passengers who were recently offloaded from one of our flights after their unruly and threatening behaviour, are flawed and without merit,” said Foster. 

Cost of cancelled flights

Foster said Airlink will continue to monitor the situation.

On Wednesday, Foster told The Citizen, the cancelled flights affected 74 passengers (37 who were booked to travel to Nampula and 37 booked on the flight from Nampula to Johannesburg).

However, foster said did not indicate what the cost of the cancelled flights amounted to, saying “it’s too early to say.”

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