LAM is formed at Posadas in Misiones Province in 1978 to offer commuter services. Two Israel Aircraft Industries Aravas are obtained and scheduled services are initiated linking the capital with destinations throughout the northeastern Argentine province as well as Asuncion, Paraguay.
During the early 1980s, a Piper PA-31 Navajo is acquired. Operations continue apace throughout the remainder of the decade and President Hector Do Santos fleet is altered to include 1 each de Havilland Canada DHC-6-300, Fokker F.27, and F.28-1000.
In 1992-1994, services remain unchanged, but the company goes out of business in 1995.
LAM LINHAS AEREAS DE MOCAMBIQUE (LAM MOZAMBIQUE AIRLINES, S. A.): CP 2060, Maputo, Mozambique; Phone 258 (1) 465 137; Fax 258 (1) 735 601; Http://www. lam. co. mz; Code TM; Year Founded 1980. On June 14, 1980, following the independence of Mozambique for Portugal, work begins on a makeover of DETA (Divisao de Exploracao des Transportes Aereos, S. A.). The workforce is increased by 50.2% to 1,996 and the fleet includes 4 Boeing 737-2B1s and 3 Fokker F.27-200s. A state company reporting to the Ministr of Transport and Communications, DETA is renamed on November 19 by Decree 8/80. Cargo grows 11.2% to 10.5 million FTKs, while passenger boardings increase 5% to 299,670.
Airline employment grows another 1.1% in 1981 to 2,017. Orders are now placed for four additional B-727-2B1A/Cs.
Freight accelerates 3.4% to 9.82 million FTKs and the passenger count in 306,374, up 8.6%.
The Douglas DC-8-62 ordered in 1979 joins the fleet in 1982, contributing to a 58% jump in freight traffic to 15.6 million FTKs; passenger bookings soar 30% to 398,937, due largely to the addition of more B-727-200s.
The employee population is 1,927 in 1983, a 3.6% decline, while an order is placed for a DC-10-30.
While on final approach to Quelimane on the night of March 27, a B-737-2B1 with 6 crew and 104 passengers, lands 400 m. short of the runway, causing the landing gear to collapse; there are no fatalities.
In cooperation with Air Lesotho (Lesotho Airways Corporation), F.27-200 flights are initiated from Maputo to Maseru via Manzini.
Cargo grows 3% this year to 16.2 million FTKs while bookings for passengers rise 7% to 428,024.
The Douglas DC-10-30 ordered late in the year and is delivered in 1984, allowing the extension of routes to East Berlin, Copenhagen, and Paris.
Passenger boardings are now down to 282,048.
World History
