Government through Minister of Transport has come out of the cocoon to laugh off the claims raised by Tanzania based Airline, Fast Jet that it has suspended its flight to Malawi due to what the company called failure by the government to allow them to extend its route to Blantyre, saying the claims are baseless.
Speaking in an interview with one of the local radio station, Francis Kasaila said the company has suspended its operations in the country due to bankruptcy as its rates were too cheap to sustain them in business.
He said government earlier warned the company about its rate which was lower than 50 percent compared to other airlines operating in the country but the company remained adamant.
The Minister said the government will not in any way allow the company to extend its route to Blantyre, saying Chileka International Airport runway cannot handle another aircraft of the size that Fastjet intend to use.
Kasaila also denied the claims raised by the company that the government is protecting the route for the country’s flag carrier, Malawian Airlines.
In a statement made available to FaceofMalawi released on Monday, the company also said depreciation of the kwacha is one of the reason the company has suspended its operations in the country.
The company said it is ready to resume operations in the country once the government allows them to fry to Blantyre.
