Maluti Sky

Maluti Sky
IATA ICAO Callsign
7D MSU MALUTI SKY
Founded 2009
Hubs Moshoeshoe I International Airport
Fleet size 5
Destinations 2
Company slogan Your journey, our passion
Parent company Matekane Group of Companies (MGC)
Key people Sam Katekane, founder
Website www.flymalutisky.com

Maluti Sky is an airline based at Moshoeshoe I International Airport in Maseru, the capital of Lesotho. It offers scheduled and charter flights. The airline was founded in 2009 as MGC Airlines, becoming the first privately owned airline in Lesotho. It is also the only airline based in the country since Lesotho Airways ceased operations in 1996. Maluti Sky began passenger flights to Johannesburg in March 2016.

History

Maluti Sky was founded in 2009 as MGC Airlines.[1] The founder, entrepreneur Sam Matekane, says he was inspired to start the airline after King Letsie III was stranded in Paris due to a strike by Air France pilots in November 2008.[2] MGC Aviation was officially launched on 23 February 2010 with King Letsie III and Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili in attendance.[3] The airline began charter operations using a Hawker 700A and a Eurocopter EC135.[2]

In April 2012, the airline received its first CRJ200 aircraft,[4] followed by a second in 2013.[5] The aircraft were initially used on charter flights and by other African airlines.[4][6] In June 2015, MGC Airlines rebranded as Maluti Sky.[7]

On 29 March 2016, the airline launched scheduled operations with flights to O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. Flights operate five times a week using CRJ200 aircraft.[6][8]

Destinations

Maluti Sky operates scheduled flights to the following destinations as of April 2016:

Country City Airport Begin End Ref.
LesothoMaseruMoshoeshoe I International AirportHub29 March 2016present[8]
South AfricaJohannesburgO. R. Tambo International Airport29 March 2016present[8]

Fleet

A Maluti Sky CRJ200 at George Airport

As of April 2016 Maluti Sky operates the following aircraft:[1][3][7]

Maluti Sky fleet
Aircraft In service Orders Passengers Notes
Bombardier CRJ200 2 – 50 scheduled operations
Eurocopter AS350 B3 Écureuil 1 – ? charter operations
Eurocopter EC135 1 – 7 charter operations
Hawker 700A 1 – 8 charter operations
Total 5 0

References

  1. 1 2 "PM LAUNCHES MGC AVIATION 50 SEATER CRJ 200 REGIONAL JETS". The Lesotho Government Portal. 22 March 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  2. 1 2 Johnson, Thabo (10 March 2010). "First black airline for Lesotho". Sowetan LIVE. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  3. 1 2 "HIS MAJESTY LEADS MGC AVIATION AIRCRAFT LAUNCH". The Lesotho Government Portal. 24 February 2010. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  4. 1 2 "MGC adds a fourth plane to fleet". Lesotho Times. 4 April 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  5. ↑ "ZS-NMK MGC Airlines Canadair CL-600-2B19 Regional Jet CRJ-200ER - cn 7198". Planespotters.net. 31 May 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Maluti Sky takes to the heavens". Lesotho Times. 2 April 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  7. 1 2 "Lesotho's MGC Airlines to rebrand as MalutiSky". ch-aviation. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  8. 1 2 3 "Lesotho's Maluti Sky begins scheduled pax operations". ch-aviation. 8 April 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2016.

Media related to Maluti Sky at Wikimedia Commons

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