Maluti Sky

Maluti Sky was an airline based at Moshoeshoe I International Airport in Maseru, the capital of Lesotho. It offered scheduled and charter flights. The airline was founded in 2009 as MGC Airlines, becoming the first privately owned airline in Lesotho. Maluti Sky began passenger flights to Johannesburg in March 2016; it was at that time the only airline based in the country since Lesotho Airways ceased operations in 1996. However, the airline terminated all flights in 2017 as a result of financial issues.

Maluti Sky
IATA ICAO Callsign
7D[1] MSU[1] MALUTI SKY[2]
Founded2009
Ceased operations2017
HubsMoshoeshoe I International Airport
Destinations2
Parent companyMatekane Group of Companies (MGC)
Key peopleSam Matekane, founder

History
Maluti Sky CRJ-200ER at Cape Town International Airport in 2017.

Maluti Sky was founded in 2009 as MGC Airlines.[3] The founder, entrepreneur Sam Matekane, says he was inspired to start the airline after King Letsie III was stranded in Paris because of a strike by Air France pilots in November 2008.[4] MGC Aviation was officially launched on 23 February 2010 with King Letsie III and Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili in attendance.[5] The airline began charter operations using a Hawker 700A and a Eurocopter EC135.[4]

In April 2012, the airline received its first Bombardier CRJ200,[6] followed by a second in 2013.[7] The aircraft were initially used on charter flights and by other African airlines.[6][8] In June 2015, MGC Airlines rebranded as Maluti Sky.[9]

On 29 March 2016, the airline launched scheduled operations with flights to Johannesburg from Maseru using the Bombardier CRJ200.[8][10] However, parent firm Matekane Group of Companies (MGC) announced in April 2017 that Maluti Sky would soon end operations; the airline had difficulty competing with Airlink, which also operates the Johannesburg–Maseru route.[11] Maluti Sky had indeed ceased flights by July 2017.[12]

See also

References
  1. "Maluti Sky". ch-aviation. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  2. "JO 7340.2G Contractions" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. 5 January 2017. p. 3-1-66. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  3. "PM LAUNCHES MGC AVIATION 50 SEATER CRJ 200 REGIONAL JETS". The Lesotho Government Portal. 22 March 2013. Archived from the original on 21 April 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  4. Johnson, Thabo (10 March 2010). "First black airline for Lesotho". Sowetan LIVE. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  5. "HIS MAJESTY LEADS MGC AVIATION AIRCRAFT LAUNCH". The Lesotho Government Portal. 24 February 2010. Archived from the original on 21 April 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  6. "MGC adds a fourth plane to fleet". Lesotho Times. 4 April 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  7. "ZS-NMK MGC Airlines Canadair CL-600-2B19 Regional Jet CRJ-200ER - cn 7198". Planespotters.net. 31 May 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  8. "Maluti Sky takes to the heavens". Lesotho Times. 2 April 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  9. "Lesotho's MGC Airlines to rebrand as MalutiSky". ch-aviation. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  10. "Lesotho's Maluti Sky begins scheduled pax operations". ch-aviation. 8 April 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  11. "Maluti Sky lands on take off due to lack of business". TmgLive. 8 April 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  12. "Lesotho: 'Big cabinet no guarantee for stability'". Lesotho Times. AllAfrica.com. 8 July 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2017. Ntate Matekane's company, Maluti Sky, employed about 30 Basotho, and it collapsed because it was competing with the South African Airways (SAA).
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