AIR LESOTHO (LESOTHO AIRWAYS CORPORATION): P. O. Box 861, Mejametalana Airport, Maseau, 100, Lesotho; Phone 266 312 453; Fax 266 310 126; Code QL; Year Founded 1982. The government of Lesotho alters the name of Lesotho Airways, Ltd. in January 1982. The workforce is increased by 3.8% to 135 and the fleet includes 3 de Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otters, 1 Dornier Do-28, and 2 Britten-Norman BN-2 Islanders, which latter aircraft remain available for sale. Scheduled service is provided to points in Botswana, Mozambique, Swaziland, and the Republic of South Africa, in addition to 10 domestic destinations; charter, supply, and mail flights are laid on to some 15 remote additional airfields.
Passenger boardings jump 9.2% to 40,532. Revenues advance 5.9% to $2.36 million while expenses jump 3.4% to $2.5 million. As a result, there are losses: $132,000 (operating) and $90,000 (net).
Enplanements total 55,000 in 1983. Within two years, Managing Director J. A. B. Smit’s traffic has increased by about 2,000 boardings annually.
Operations continue during 1984-1985 as the fleet grows to include 1 Fairchild Hiller FH-227, 3 de Havilland Canada DHC-6-300s, 1 Dornier Do-28, 2 Britten-Norman BN-2 Islanders, and 1 Dornier 228-200.
On July 13 of the latter year, a chartered DHC-6-300 that has lost engine power, makes an emergency landing at Mokhotlang. During the landing a wing is broken off and although there are no fatalities, the aircraft must be withdrawn.
The employee population in 1986 stands at approximately 75 and enplanements average some 50,000 per year. In March, Dornier 228-200 regional flights are started from Maseru to Johannesburg, Manzini, and Maputo.
Managing Director Smit resigns in early 1988 and the fleet is altered by the removal of the FH-227, which is replaced by a second of the German-made turboprops. The FH-227 is leased to Air Botswana (Pty.), Ltd. in April and, in May, Acting Managing Director Duke Moroosi gives up his position and returns to his previous post of operations manager. He is succeeded by Q. Molapo.
In April 1989, the governments of India and Lesotho sign an agreement under which Air India provides training for the carrier’s flight deck crews and cabin attendants. During the first nine months of the year, enplanements total 47,378.
Michael MacDonough is named managing director in 1990 and the Dorniers are withdrawn and replaced by another DHC-6-300. The
FH-227 is sold in 1991 and the fleet in 1992 includes 1 F.27-600 and 2 DHC-6-300s.
Operations continue in 1993-1996. Domestic destinations visited during these years include Leba Keng, Lesobeng, Letete, Matebeng, Matsaile, Qacha’s Nek, Semongkong, and Sehonghong. The company also flies to Manzini and, in cooperation with South African Airways (Pty.), Ltd. , to Johannesburg.
The company is privatized in September 1997 and an 80% stake is sold to South African-based Rossair Executive Air Charter (Pty.),
Ltd. Frequencies are maintained until February 1999 when, after suffering huge financial losses, it is shut down.
World History
