The airline, which operates 10 aircraft on continental and one international route, with a staff of close to 800, requires around $469 million to stay afloat, but only received a tenth of that in last month’s budget. “This is scarcely 12% of the amount stated as needed by the management of the airline,” the head of the Transport Commission, Eldorette Harmse, said in a statement. The withdrawal of its air licence means it is prohibited from operating commercial flights. It will however be permitted to undertake humanitarian evacuation and repatriation flights under its non-scheduled air services licence, which is valid for the duration of the State of Emergency due to the coronavirus.
SOURCE: REUTERS AFRICA