Lakestar Express (Lilongwe International) is now hoping to launch domestic services in the Malawian market by January 2018, its chief executive Allan Chidzanja has told the Nyasa Times.
The start-up plans to initially deploy two 19-seat Beech 1900D turboprop aircraft on the trunk route linking the capital Lilongwe International and the country's financial centre Blantyre. In addition, it also plans to serve Karonga, Likoma and Mzuzu.
Later using a different larger aircraft type, Lakestar Express also plans to serve Harare International, Johannesburg O.R. Tambo, Lusaka, Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta and some unnamed destinations in Mozambique internationally.
Having invested approximately USD7million in its development, Chidzanja's airline will compete with Malawi Airlines (3W, Lilongwe International) on the Lilongwe-Blantyre route and with Ulendo Airlink (Lilongwe International) on the Northern services to Likoma and Mzuzu. Karonga is not currently served by scheduled services.
