Air Madagascar (MD, Antananarivo) will terminate flights to Asia early next year as part of a far reaching review of the airline's operations currently being undertaken by its newly appointed board of directors.
Holitina Rakotondrainibe, the airline's deputy chairman, told the Madagascar Express that although China is the island's second largest trading partner, flights there have never been profitable. As such, the current 2x weekly service to Guangzhou via Bangkok Suvarnabhumi will be scaled back to weekly later this month before being dropped outright from January 4.
Flights to Asia may resume in April next year albeit in partnership with fellow Indian Ocean carrier Air Austral (UU, St. Denis de la Réunion).
Hamstrung by legacy debts and loss-making routes, Air Madagascar has reportedly removed itself from IATA's clearing house system citing the costly monthly subscription fees.
Employees at the state-run carrier striked for two weeks this year demanding a change to the airline's leadership as well as the settlement of unpaid back wages. Their industrial action eventually lead to the resignation of then CEO Haja Raelison and his fellow board members.
