swift air malawi
not worried about air malawi who seem like a good bunch. looking for info on swift air malawi
► malawi: swift air grounded by courts as government mulls air malawi' s future following huge losses .
• the african aviation tribune •: ► malawi: swift air grounded by courts as government mulls air malawi' s future following huge losses .
swift air. airline code, web site, phone, reviews and opinions .
make an air malawi reservation and find some amazing deals with discounted air malawi tickets at alternative airlines. air malawi flies to many destinations offering a cost effective and safe service to all its passengers. let alternative airlines help find you cheap air malawi tickets and make international and domestic flight reservations on air malawi today .
fly with swift air today and enjoy a smooth, hassle free and comfortable flight .
swift air chief executive officer, louise hanne, could reportedly not be reached for comment .
air malawi began operations as a subsidiary of central african airways and later became independent as the national airline of malawi. air malawi operated regional and domestic flights from blantyre .
hi everyone, does anyone know who is leasing or going into partnership with swift air malawi using a 737? please pm me. cheers
can we please suggest these alternative airlines who fly similar routes to air malawi .
lilongwe based swift air is owned by african flying boats. equipped initially with a single beechcraft 1900d with four more planned to follow, swift air commute between blantyre and lilongwe to destinations on lake malawi such as monkey bay, salima and nkhata bay .
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swift air owes adl alone k700, 000 in unpaid rentals, according to adl business development manager ali chiwoko .
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the malawi institution of engineers (mie) recently called on government to make a concrete stand on air malawi if the country' s air transport sector is to be revamped .
nyassa air taxi is by far the preferred choice to fly guests in and around malawi .
in july 2013, air malawi signed an agreement with ethiopian airlines as a new partner. air malawi flew to many destinations including blantyre, dar es salaam, harare, johannesburg, lilongwe and lusaka. air malawi' s fleet consisted of atr 42s and boeing 737s .
“the debt with air malawi rose to millions and she decided again to use independent travel agents to book our customers on air malawi flights but she has failed to pay them too. ”
swift air is a privately owned airline operating flights between johannesburg, blantyre and lilongwe. it operates a boeing 737 aircraft .
operations at private airline, swift air in malawi have been halted after sheriffs impounded the company’s property in lilongwe for unpaid debt believed to be in millions of kwacha .
air malawi flies small propeller planes between the three big cities of lilongwe, mzuzu and blantyre .
click here to see a route map of air malawi' s services in the' 70s .
privately owned malawian airline swift air has been grounded by the malawian courts and had its property in lilongwe attached over outstanding rental fees and monies owed to air malawi, the airport development limited (adl), and various independent travel agents .
malawi’s swift air will begin operating a new south african route from the 21st february 2012 offering cheap fares and a regular schedule. great news for tourists, malawians and south africans alike !
malawi’s capital city, lilongwe, has been a major international gateway into the country because the main international airport is in the city. this airport connects malawi to various destinations such as johannesburg - south africa, nairobi – kenya, and dubai. airlines that are useful for accessing malawi from another country are air malawi (the national carrier) and swift air, amongst a few others .
swift air started a promising alternative to the beleaguered air malawi on the domestic and regional routes, and its not clear why the company has run aground. it had a fleet of one embraer emb 120 brasilia and was semi - leasing a dc9 .
swift air chief executive officer mrs. louise hahn - perepeczko could not be reached for a comment amid reports she was in south africa or uk .
currently they service lilongwe, mzuzu, karonga and blantyre but many more routes are in the pipeline. swift air is the preferred carrier for many of the local and international corporations that work in malawi .
swift air launched services from lilongwe to karonga in april last year and launched flights to johannesburg in february. the airline also flies to blantyre and mzuzu .
the airline was taken over by malawi airlines which began operations in 2014. click here for malawi airlines flights
swift f. 1s of 56 squadron in 1954; m. j. f. bowyer
malawi is internationally known for the friendliness of the malawians and air malawi has a slogan ,
africa' s friendly airline
which is true to the spirit of the country .
you can pay for your flights with air malawi in the currency and payment method of your choice when booking through alternative airlines .
browse the most popular air malawi flight routes to destinations worldwide. alternative airlines can help you make reservations on air malawi for international flights to lots of destinations. use the following list of routes to help you plan your next flight. book air malawi flights on alternative airlines to save big! alternative airlines is an online travel agency, specialising in booking lesser known airlines and remote destinations .
in swift move to liberalise the country’s air industry, mozambique civil aviation institute (iacm) has authorised seven foreign companies, including ethiopian airlines and malawi airways to operate domestic routes for the first time ever, as the southern african nation moves to liberalise the air industry, apa can report on wednesday .
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the previous international departure tax of usd30 is now included in the air fare .
the press has confirmed that the airline owes its landlord – airport development limited (adl), air malawi and independent travel agents millions of kwacha .
hi there swift air have been operating domestically in malawi since april this year. they have 1x b1900d and a bae jetstream recently joined the fleet. they have taken up competition with air malawi on lilongwe - blantyre and are doing quite well. i believe they have a full a. o. c so any of the issues that faced nyasa express are not a factor for swift air. actually, nyasa express is operating again under the ulendo airlink brand, in partnership with cfa charters from south africa. they are flying a c210 and a c208b, mainly charters within the region. hope this helps !
mtchungula passed away last year and air malawi is currently on the brink of bankruptcy and only barely keeping 1 a / c (the 1993 atr 42) airborne. sad times for malawi aviation. should have sold and privatized a few years ago. swift air not doing much better, still haven' t received their full malawi aoc and have been operating a variety of leased aircraft since april last year. high fuel costs, low yields usually spell the end for any carrier .
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nyassa air taxi has a shuttle service from usd280 per person from mfuwe to lilongwe .
a4o - vl with air ceylon titles taxiing past omani a4o - ab at heathrow .
a4o - vl in gulf air colours but wearing air ceylon titles seen here in storage, probably after its sale to the raf. photo via aviation photography of miami collection
the later gulf air scheme seen in dubai in 1978. photo by g. hall
malawi is celebrating two new airlines which have taken to the skies this summer. both malawian owned and managed, ulendo airlink and swift air are operating scheduled flights connecting the country’s major tourism and commercial centres, to meet the needs of both business and leisure travellers .
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4. i have been reading mixed messages (good and bad) about swift air. to your knowlege, are the flights reliable ie on time, or at least flying the day they are supposed to? difficult to say - they have recently teamed with air malawi to share flights so they are becoming more reliable - best to have back up option !
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swift air is a privately owned airline in malawi. they offer a reliable, efficient and safe service with a smile. all aircraft are twin engined turbine aircraft to fulfill companies' corporate policies on air travel. highly qualified, mature pilots are assisted in the cabin by friendly and well trained cabin crew who look after all the needs and safety of the passengers .
4. i have been reading mixed messages (good and bad) about swift air. to your knowlege, are the flights reliable ie on time, or at least flying the day they are supposed to ?
with devaluation, our traffic has gone down as less and less people are able to travel ,
said air malawi' s director of marketing tony chimpukuso wednesday .
understand air passenger traffic flows in any and every market. analyse where air passenger traffic originates, connects and ends, forecast new routes, and analyse point of sale by country and region .
prior to its grounding swift air operated domestically between lilongwe, blantyre, mzuzu, karonga with a single regional flight operated to johannesburg, south africa whilst their fleet consisted of a south african leased mcdonnell douglas dc - 9 (zs - gau ?), an embraer 120 (9j - ryl) and a beechcraft 1900d. all of have either been returned to their respective owners or grounded as a result of the financial crisis at swift air .
swift air' s aircraft all follow the manufacturer' s maintenance programmes and there is never any compromise on safety. they have their own engineering department for day to day maintenance but all major overhauls are done by outside professional companies .
he appears to float on air after walking off the last step of the impressive wooden staircase in his malawi mansion but at the crucial moment, the camera pans to his feet .
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air malawi is a regional airline, owned by the government of malawi, which affords access to this remarkable country as well as providing the main air link between the nation' s capital, lilongwe and the country' s second largest city, blantyre. unusually for a national carrier the airline in not based in the capital but instead from its hub in blantyre .
hi all, air malawi is no more, a new company in association with ethiopian is due to be formed but hasnt happened yet. there are currently no flights between lilongwe and blantyre
we accept paypal making flight purchases with air malawi easy and more secure for customers. paypal is one of the leading forms of online payment, with more than 169 million accounts worldwide .
an employee who held a senior position at the company but spoke on strict condition of anonymity told zodiak that the ceo left two months ago amid pressure from the debtors. “when all our planes were suspended two months ago due to financial challenges, the owner decided to continue selling tickets and in turn use air malawi to fly the customers, ” said the employee adding; “the debt with air malawi rose to millions and she decided again to use independent travel agents to book our customers on air malawi flights but she has failed to pay them too. ”
axa malawi (00 265 1 874254; urltoken) runs a premium non - stop, air - conditioned coach between blantyre and lilongwe twice daily (four hours; 3, 500 malawi kwacha / £13) as well as more rustic stopping services running all over the country .
nationals of hong kong may enter malawi visa - free for up to 30 days .
founded in january 2011, the airline was seen as a viable alternative to the unreliable parastatal air malawi, whose own future has been called into doubt over heavy continuous annual losses, which for the year 2011, amounted to mwk1. 1billion. the losses have been attributed to air malawi' s continued use of leased aircraft for operations; a reliable if very expensive way to operate .
booking staff can be contacted by email or via the website. as well as a head office in lilongwe swift air also has offices at kamuzu international airport, lilongwe, chileka international airport, blantyre, mzuzu airport, mzuzu and karonga airport, karonga .
agree on the above - bus would be best option - due to fuel issues and you will also have a drop off car hire cost too. or you could arrange a private road transfer - email info @ urltoken for a quot. swift air and air malawi might be an option - again email the above address to find out latest time table etc. if you need accommodation in blantyre - check out these options www. urltoken / hotels - in - blantyre
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and we are still waiting for the new government to state their position on air malawi. the previous government was not interested in us. they just wanted us to close down ,
h e said .
malawi had already regularly been visited by eaa and bua vc10s when air malawi bought g - asiw off british caledonian. operating in a bright red livery it was the flagship of the company for several years until in 1979 it was deemed beyond economic use. stored for several years at bournemouth (hurn) it eventually flew home to malawi where it was left to decay, eventually being scrapped in 1994 .
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air ceylon never owned its own vc10 but operated services from colombo to london using boac vc10s which were allocated on availability. in december 1977 a4o - vl was leased from gulf air for the same purpose. after the lease, in january 1978, a4o - vl was returned to gulf air but probably never flew another route for them as the aircraft was sold to the raf in the same year and the photo on the right shows it stored with the air ceylon titles still present .
as a school boy i watched the swift fly from chilbolton. a few years later some of the airframes were at raf st athan being used for trade training .
western - standard hotels can be found in blantyre, lilongwe, zomba and mzuzu, as well as along the shores of lake malawi. the lake malawi resort hotels cater primarily to international tourists .
it is the widespread highlands and forests that provide the most impressive of the malawi' s varied scenery. up where the air is fresh and cool are clear mountain streams, heaths, rolling montane grassland and evergreen forests .
the airline’s domestic service timetable compliments existing routes already offered by the national carrier, air malawi with connections to international flights from kamuzu international to johannesburg, nairobi and addis ababa. ulendo airlink is also available to quote for private charters .
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looking for flights to malawi? skyscanner australia is simple, fast and free so finding your flights to malawi and saving on airfare, couldn’t be easier. we search hundreds of airlines and compare prices for thousands of destinations around the world to find you the cheapest flights to malawi whenever you want to go. if your dates are flexible then skyscanner can show you the cheapest days of the month to fly to malawi. why not add a hotel to your flight to malawi? for the best hotel deals in malawi have a look at skyscanner australia hotels. skyscanner searches all the best hotel suppliers to bring you best deals. once you have found your perfect flight to malawi, why not bookmark skyscanner and if come back for your next adventure .
malawi has been known for years as
the warm heart of africa
, and malawians are known for their friendliness and hospitality. malawi is not known as a particularly dangerous travel destination for western foreigners and expatriates .
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according to the report, operations were halted after sheriffs impounded the company’s property in lilongwe for unpaid debt, believed to be in the region of millions of kwacha, owed to its landlord, airport development limited, air malawi and independent travel agents .
malawi' s largest tertiary education structure at present is the university of malawi which is made up of chancellor college located in the heart of zomba, blantyre polytechnic in chichiri and college of medicine. bunda college of agriculture and kamuzu college of nursing are located in lilongwe. there is also mzuzu university in the northern part of malawi .
i worked on swifts camberas hunters javelins when i was posted to cmu raf laarbruch. i have still got a scaar on my head going under the wing of a leaking swift in the hanger
air malawi operates a fleet of four aircraft on a route network including six destinations including one domestic destination, lilongwe and four international ones: johannesburg (south africa), harare (zimbabwe), dar es salaam (tanzania) and lusaka (zambia) .
u. s. sen. john mccain of arizona and his wife cindy shared in a happy occasion saturday night – the wedding of their son jack mccain to renee swift, the senator’s ...
if you are coming into malawi from mozambique, you can as well use train transport from nampula in mozambique to arrive at the train station at blantyre in malawi. another alternative is boarding a ferry at the either cobue or metangula port in mozambique to arrive at likoma island of malawi. if you are entering from zambia, then board a car at the zambian border of mchinji and use the road route to lilongwe city of malawi. public buses are available in lusaka - zambia, mbeya - karonga route in tanzania, and dar es salaam in tanzania, which will take you to lilongwe, karonga, or mzuzu in malawi .
56 squadron received their first swift f. 1s on the 13th of february 1954, though the aircraft had numerous restrictions placed upon them with regards to gun firing, top speed and service ceiling. in spite of this, the swift still holds the honour of being the first british built swept - wing jet fighter into raf service. numerous accidents resulted in the grounding of all swifts in late august, and 56 squadron' ground itself to a halt'. the central fighter establishment said that it was unlikely that the swift would ever be a suitable fighter. when f. 2s replaced the f. 1s a few days later (30th august), the restrictions were relaxed, but two aircraft were then lost in pitch - up accidents and the swift fleet was once again grounded. by march of 1955 the raf had had quite enough of the swift and the order was given to withdraw them from service. the major problem was the type was completely incapable of combat at altitudes beyond 40, 000 ft - it had neither the manouevrability, endurance or reliability required .
travelling around malawi’s tourist attractions takes you to a variety of destinations that makes touring in malawi a memorable holiday event. cape maclear is a fine destination for sandy beach fun in the beautiful natural surroundings of the cape that juts into the large malawi lake. likoma and chisumulu islands are also interesting places to visit. liwonde national park houses a variety of wildlife species like the eagles and the african elephants. apart from sightseeing all these attractions, there are fun activities you can indulge in, like boat riding in lake malawi, water sports, nature trekking, mountain biking, and culture indulgence by visiting villages to understand the local malawi culture blend .
zomba is the old colonial capital of malawi and is noted for its british colonial architecture, the university of malawi, and the remarkable zomba plateau which rises immediately west of the city. while in zomba, visit the extensive market, purchase fabric and handicrafts .
malawi is a tourist destination in africa popular for bearing africa’s third largest lake, lake malawi. malawi is situated in east africa, next to mozambique, tanzania, and zambia. malawi is an independent of friendly people, rich cultural heritage, and a wide variety of attractions that make the country one of the top tourist destinations among south african countries. english is the official language in malawi, while chichewa is the local tongue spoken and common in most remote and urban centers of the country. the geographical scenery of the country is mostly a plateau landscape, and it experiences an alternating warm and rainy season, to a cool and dry season .
trains are no longer running in malawi. minibuses are doing all the stretches of road, and you can catch trains in mozambique .
back in, i think, 1956, s a teenager, i had the priviledge of working on the swift at the supermarine factory at trowbridge. my job was to paint some evil smelling white solution inside the tailpipe. we also used compressed air drills. since i was (and am)' keen' on aircraft, the job was a pleasure. a beautiful' plane' .
the only beers you will generally find are brewed in blantyre by carlsberg, and it' s products are available in restaurants and stores throughout the country. a normal carlsberg is known as a' green', but also come as special brew, stout, classic, elephant, light or kuche kuche. you can also buy imported drinks such as heineken, kronenbourg, smirnoff ice, barcadi breezer and some ciders in certain bars. malawi also produces it' s own spirits - notably malawi vodka, malawi gin, malawi rum, gold label brandy and the cane spirit powers. malawi gin & tonic is a very nice, popular expat drink in the country .
in central malawi, to the west of the lake, the nkhotakota wildlife reserve has 1, 800sq km of woodland and grasses. experience the wildlife here by hiking and fly - camping. it has malawi' s last lion population as well as elephant and leopard .
today a major operator, gulf air is partly indebted to the vc10 for its position on the market. initially leasing vc10s from boac, gulf air later bought them off the shelf when boac sold off their fleet of standard vc10s. five airframes were used and these formed the backbone of a large scale route structure expansion, although a4o - vl also spent some time being leased to air ceylon. after a hectic three year operation the vc10s were sold off again, this time going to the raf for conversion .
i worked on swifts camberas hunters javelins when i was posted to cmu raf laarbruch. i have still got a scaar on my head going under the wing of a leaking swift in the hanger. this was between 1961 - 1963
like most other former british colonies, traffic moves on the left in malawi with most cars having their steering wheel on the right. drink - driving is prohibited in malawi. it has a zero - tolerance rule meaning that a driver must not consume any alcohol at all .
and do they need an old air malawi skipper from years ago who has 10, 000 hours 737 and loads of africa experience? would give my right arm to go back and finish my career where i started, oh, and train the next generation along the way. pm me if you know anything, please !
malawi is a special place, with unique experiences around every corner. it is a landlocked country with by zambia to the northwest, tanzania to the northeast and mozambique to the south, southwest and southeast. as well as world famous walking safaris, the main attractions are the 365 mile long lake malawi and the world heritage site recognised chongoni rock art area. malawi may not be the first country to choose for a safari adventure but for your second, third or even fourth trip malawi’s national parks and wildlife reserves offer completely unspoilt wilderness and the absence of mass tourism .
air malawi which in the recent years had been dogged with a surmount of difficulty in its operations seems to be crawling back to serious business with a full force as it has just revamped its cargo services department at its offices at heathrow airport, london in the united kingdom (uk) with a an improved service delivery .
worked at cmu laarbruch 60 / 61 and travelled to jever to remove swift wings and rebush wing root bushes, seem to remember the bolts just fell out. also the wing was very phrone to fuel leaks was glad to see them replaced with hunters
malawi has a massive diversity of beautiful landscapes. the highest peaks in malawi touch 10, 000 ft (3, 000m) while the lowest point is barely above sea level. this range of altitudes in a small area help to make the landscape of malawi one of the most varied in all africa. it is generally a green, lush country, with plateaux, highlands, forests, mountains, plains, escarpments and dramatic river valleys .
hi there, what option did you go with? i' m going to malawi next week & am considering flying into lilongwe & hiring a car .
as he is about to land, the camera quickly pans away to avoid filming one of the men who helped to suspend bushiri in the air to make it look as though he was floating .
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the rift valley is the dominant feature, providing the vast chasm that lake malawi fills, and extending to te south of the country following the shire river that drains the lake. the flatter areas of the rift valley in south malawi are home to some important wetlands, including elephant marsh, down in the lower shire valley .
with the raf having decided that the swift was a dead - end as a fighter, and with the hunter now entering widespread servicein this role, the swift' s fortunes lay in what had been seen as a secondary role - reconnaissance. the fr. 5 was fitted with a lengthened nose housing cameras and this was finally a useful aircraft, and as it operated at medium to low level, the high altitude problems did not matter. from march 1956 ii (ac) squadron (and later 79 squadron) operated the fr. 5 in germany .
unfortunately many car rentals in southern africa do not allow you to enter malawi with their cars. you might have the best chances if you rent a car in zambia .
the swift fr. 5 actually did very well in the reconaissance role; in 1957 and 1959 swifts actually won the nato' royal flush' reconaissance competition, conclusively beating off the best types other nations could offer, including the american' s rf - 84 thunderflash. the punishing low - level reconaissance role proved to be no problem for the strong swift airframe, and no fatigue problems were encountered. it even became a popular aircraft with crews, something that would have amazed the crews of earlier variants. fr. 5s were eventually replaced by the hunter fr. 10 .
the viphya highlands - undulating hills swathed in evergreen forests - stretch north - south in north malawi and reach the edge of the rift valley. finally, in north malawi is the nyika plateau, a rolling whaleback grassland plateau unique in africa. much of this highest and most extensive high plateau surface in central africa is gazetted as the nyika national park .
the local currency is the malawi kwacha, symbolised mwk. the currency is freely convertible (but impossible to get rid of outside malawi) and, as of september 2016, trades at around mwk729 to the us dollar, mwk819 to the euro and mwk971 to the pound sterling. forex will also be accepted by almost everybody, particularly for larger purchases .
the best time to visit malawi is during the dry season (may to mid - november). exodus (0845 805 0140; urltoken) has a 16 - day trip taking in liwonde and nkhotakota national parks, lake malawi, and zambia' s south luangwa national park from £2, 049, including flights from heathrow, camping and most meals .
a proposed unarmed pr. 6 variant (the type 550) was cancelled before production because of the reheat at altitude problems, but fourteen f. 7s were built; these being equipped with radar in an extended nose cone and blue sky (fairey fireflash) beam - riding air - to - air missiles. while not used in raf squadron service, they provided valuable information to the guided weapon development squadron and were the first raf fighters to employ aams .
malawi (chichewa: malaŵi) is a country in africa, bordered by mozambique to the south and east, tanzania to the north, zambia to the west. lake malawi, the third largest lake in africa, runs along most of its eastern border. it' s often described as the
warm heart of africa
, referring to the friendliness of the people .
luxury
buses, medium - sized buses, and minibuses all service malawi. they vary in comfort and price. vehicle condition can be very poor and road accidents are relatively common .
moving back to the swift programme proper, the second of the real swift ancestors was vv119, the type 528. very soon after its first flight on the 27th of march 1950, it was modified to change the hated tailwheel undercarriage to a nosewheel arrangement (though the twin tailwheels were retained as bumpers). other modifications were carried out; longer, pointed nose; kinked wing leading edge, larger fuselage diameter (to accommodate an afterburning tailpipe), greater fuel capacity and provision for four cannon in the wings. in this form the aircraft was known as the type 535, and this variation first flew on the 23rd of august 1950 .
the story of nigeria airways and the vc10, and the crash of 5n - abd is well presented in scott henderson' s
silent, swift, superb: the story of the vc10
. pages 88 - 93, detailing the story of nigeria airways and the vc10, including the crash, are reproduced on this page :
malawi’s people are its greatest asset - friendly, welcoming, colourful and vibrant. it' s impossible to visit and not become engaged with the people, but there are now opportunities to spend time in real villages (including staying overnight) for a first - hand experience of the cultures, traditions and daily life. this is an option pretty much everywhere in malawi, and one well worth taking .
when searching for accommodation in malawi, you will facilities in the forms of lodging, hotel rooms, and camping sites. the hotels at lake malawi are of international standards and luxurious, hence they bear a dear charge for every day spent overnight in their hotel rooms. there are lodgings located within the wildlife region. the bua river lodge is located at the eastern side of the nkhotakota wildlife reserve .
alternative airlines is an online travel agency bonded by the international air transport association (iata). we specialise in finding the best available fares on the widest range of airlines and making them available to you online, with prices in the currency of your choice .
note that there are no direct buses from mbeya to malawi although scammers in mbeya bus station will tell you so, and sell you tickets. you must take a bus to the border and walk across .
one of the most interesting ways to get to know a country and its people, and which has become increasingly popular, is to volunteer. as volunteer you can support malawi in terms of community development, wildlife conservation or education. to get a broad overview of all the organizations that offer volunteer opportunities in malawi, you can search and compare the projects on a comparison platform [ 1 ] for international volunteer work .
nkhotakota on the shores of lake malawi in the central region, is where the explorer david livingston sat down with the swahili arab slave traders to attempt to negotiate an end to the slave trade. nkhotakota was a slave entrepot, from which slaves were ferried across lake malawi to the eastern shore to resume their travel over land to what is now the tanzanian coast. nkhotakota is a compact and fascinating town, old in its way and true to the ethnic diversity of this region of malawi. the place is renowned amongst the tourists for its unspoilt golden sandy beaches north of nkhotakota. it is home to several small family - run resorts .
crowded minibuses whizz between malawi' s towns and villages on a leave - when - full basis. in rural areas, hopping a
bus
may mean sitting in the back of a pick - up truck .
when i started my raf apprenticeship at halton in 1957, there was some swift airframes being broken up. during my later service, i spoke with fellow armourers who had worked on the thing. it was not well loved by them, mainly because the 30mm. cannon were prone to many technical stoppages when fired. basically, it was a lousy gun platform .
malawi' s largest international airport is in lilongwe, although there are also some flights from blantyre to regional destinations. most travellers connect via johannesburg (south africa), addis ababa (ethiopia) or nairobi (kenya) .
lake malawi is the perfect playground for snorkellers and novice divers. there are no powerful tides, and although crocodiles cruise malawi' s rivers they are seldom spotted in the lake. what you are likely to see are cichlids. more than 1, 000 species of this brilliant tropical freshwater fish make diving in parts of the lake like exploring a giant fish tank as vast numbers of fish of every hue dart in and out of underwater caves and canyons .
most of malawi' s 15 million inhabitants are subsistence farmers. the main ethnic groups are: the chewa, in the south and central area; the yao, in the south; and the tumbuka in the north. to learn more head for the kungoni centre of culture and art (00 265 1 262706; urltoken), at mua parish, 160km south - east of lilongwe. it is dedicated to greater understanding of malawi' s culture and history and houses an art gallery, carving workshop and museum .
cape maclear - laid back fishing village on the tip of a peninsula jutting out into the southern portion of lake malawi. the cape has excellent, sandy beaches and crystal - clear water perfect for swimming, and is a favourite among backpackers, boaters, and sun - seekers .
state carrier air malawi claims to be
africa' s friendliest airline
, but its limited network covers only nearby countries. they have flights from blantyre to lilongwe and back, 7 days a week. three times a week they fly from both lilongwe and blantyre to johannesburg (su, w & f). two times a week there is a flight to dar es salaam (tanzania), from blantyre and lilongwe (sun, thu). lusaka (zambia) is three times a week (su, w & f) and harare (zimbabwe) is also three times a week (su, w & sa) .
much of malawi is plateau, often reaching to 1, 000m (3, 000 ft), and the temperature in these highlands is moderate, with the hottest period occurring during the autumn rainy season and the coolest and chilliest in winter. the hottest region in the country is the lower shire river valley well south of blantyre. temperatures along scenic lake malawi are generally warm, but with a cooling breeze, especially in the evenings. winters (may till july) are dry. the rainy season begins in mid - october to early november and generally runs until march .
to the far north is the nyika plateau, a starkly beautiful wilderness where antelope wander over open grassland and thick woods hide leopard and hyena. from here, you can hike to the colonial hilltop town of livingstonia, in 1894, the free church of scotland founded a mission in the cool mountain air after heat and malaria foiled earlier attempts at cape maclear and bandawe .
direct buses run from lusaka, zambia to lilongwe, but are best avoided (or done in stretches) if 18 - 20 hours on a bus doesn' t sound like your idea of a good time. there is also minibus from mbeya in tanzania to the border. from the border in malawi side, take a taxi to karonga. the cost is around mwk400 - 500 depending on negotiation. from karonga bus station, take a bus or minibus to other destinations in malawi. bus is cheaper than minibus. the easiest way take direct bus from dar es salaam in tanzania to mzuzu or lilongwe .
homosexuality is officially banned by the law, and homosexual and transgender couples should exercise discretion when traveling to malawi. it took a presidential pardon to release a couple recently arrested for
homosexuality
( in reality, one of the persons involved was transgender) and sentenced to 14 years of hard prison labour .
dotted across malawi are remnants of former imperial occupiers, from the wide verandas of old tea planters' houses in the south, to missionary churches at mua and likoma island (pictured), and the sobering relics from the 1800s, when arab trader salim bin abdalla oversaw a large slave market at nkhotakota .
the lake is only part of malawi' s charm. shrouded in a cotton - wool haze in malawi' s deep south is the imposing mount mulanje, a impressive hunk of dark, twisted rock that looms 3, 000m above the surrounding plains and tea plantations. mount mulanje is known locally as the
island in the sky
. this is prime hiking territory: the mountain is criss - crossed by a clearly marked network of walking trails. the available routes last from one to several days and there' s a collection of well - maintained huts along the trails in which travellers can spend the night .
there are high - level five - star resort hotels in some rural areas charging western prices. typical 5 star in blantyre / malawi would cost upwards of $ 220 / night if booked at the hotel itself (oct 2017); even though some of them would run out of power on a hot night .
unlike in kenya or south africa, malawi' s nine national parks and wildlife reserves don' t hold the promise of predator sightings, but they are also blissfully free of 4x4 traffic jams and they provide excellent opportunities to get close to wildlife on foot. elephant, hippo, zebra and antelope make appearances .
compared to its neighbours, the main roads in malawi are in surprisingly good shape and travel times between major destinations should be reasonable. the volume of traffic is low and most people drive reasonably slowly. road travel after dark is not advisable as road markings are poor to non - existent and not all cars have headlights .
liwonde national park, 160km north of blantyre in southern malawi, is home to elephant herds, hippo, crocodile, zebra, antelope, hyena and more than 400 species of bird. it offers canoe safaris on the shire river. the park is also at the centre of a black rhino re - introduction programme (urltoken) .
on these borders we have swiftair manned offices on both sides and can offer a seamless service to clients who are transporting goods between these countries. we are able to offer transport and customs clearing services into namibia, botswana, lesotho, swaziland, mozambique, zimbabwe, malawi, zambia, angola and the democratic republic of congo drc .
malawians are in general extremely courteous, and a part of that courtesy is shaking hands, speaking softly, and referring to travellers and others with respect. malawians avoid rudeness. it is common for malawi men to hold hands when they' ve gathered together to chat, and this shouldn' t be given a sexual interpretation when it is encountered .
probably the best national coach services are provided by axa bus company. they have their main office building very close the the immigration department in lilongwe. they are also the only company with some sort of a timetable which they follow very well for malawian standards. axa coaches go to the bigger cities of malawi and generally don' t stop in small towns .
handmade wood and soapstone carvings, wood and cane furniture, colourful textiles, pottery, beadwork have high standards - especially at the mua mission to the south of salima. they have their own shop and traditional musical instruments make good souvenirs throughout malawi. australians and new zealanders will need to factor in the fumigation and quarantine charges when they return home, though .
the cultural museum centre at karonga (00 265 1 362574; urltoken cmck), in the far north of malawi, highlights fossil discoveries in the rift valley, most famously a dinosaur skeleton ,
malawisaurus
, up to 140 million years old. there' s also the lower jaw of homo rudolfensis, a 2. 5 - million - year - old man .
food options in the major cities of lilongwe and blantyre are good. fast food — to include burgers, pizza, and fried chicken — is very popular in malawi. for sit - down meals, ethnic eateries (thanks to a significant ex - pat population) are popular. do note that, in many restaurants, pork products are not served to accommodate the muslim population .
the african flying boats company has pledged to invest an additional k3billion ($ 20 million) into the airline over the next two years, and has also promised to introduce two new 30 passenger amphibian plans to their fleet. these will be used on services to some of the relatively smaller and understated lake malawi beach resorts in an exciting and innovative move to boost the region’s tourism industry .
malawi’s cuisine involves unique blend of recipes that include maize, dried fish, and pumpkin leaves. some restaurants offer the local dishes at low cheaper prices than the hotels in town and in the city. apart from the local cuisine, the western food dishes are also available. in case a tourist is muslim, he or she will never be served with pork meat in most restaurants .
this company acquired their vc10s through the merger with bua, getting four airframes as part of the deal. the vc10' s were repainted and given names of famous' lochs' in keeping with british caledonian tradition. they flew in this guise for three years, mainly on bcal' s south american routes, after which they were sold off one by one. in 1971 fleet changes were announced, the company would rather standardise on the 707s, and a sales brochure was drawn up for the vc10 fleet. eventually, g - atdj went to the rae in february 1973, g - asix to the omani government in october 1974 and g - asiw followed in november 1974 going to air malawi. g - arta' s accident in 1972 sealed her fate before a potential new owner turned up. dave thaxter has set up a wonderful tribute website dedicated to british caledonian .
to get into malawi from mozambique, in the south, one can take the bus from tete (north - west mozambique) to zobwe. after crossing, take another bus from the border to blantyre. this crossing is quite hectic, and it is closed at night, so one should plan on getting there early, and trying to keep it cool with all the border - hawkers .
malawi has both patriarchal and matriarchal ethnicities and cultures. in the cities, men tend to be more respected than women, but the reverse might be true in the rural villages depending on ethnicity. whites tend to be well - respected, a holdover from colonial times, but this is largely a malawian' s way of being courteous. accept their hospitality. they are an exceptionally friendly people .
unlike the general idea that minibuses fly over the road, ignoring every traffic sign. they are the slowest mode of transportation. in general, transport in malawi is slow, but it' s not unheard of doing lilongwe to zomba in 7 or 8 hours on a minibus whereas most big buses do it in 5 to 6 hours. also, minibuses are more expensive than the big buses on longer distances .
the ruler of qatar felt that his position justified the use of an impressive vip transport and for this purpose g - arvj was put on a long - term wet lease to the qatar government. although not owned by them the aircraft did fly in gulf air colours, apparently she was sometimes used as a spare aircraft for their services. it provided an interesting posting for several boac (by then british airways) crews until it was returned to boac, and was sold to the raf as a spares source for the conversion program.
swift air limited was an airline based in lilongwe , malawi . it was a privately owned airline that operated regional passenger services . its main base was at kamuzu international airport . 
swift air limited was an airline based in lilongwe, malawi. it was a privately owned airline that operated regional passenger services. its main base was at kamuzu international airport.
swift air limited was an airline based in lilongwe, malawi. it was a privately owned airline that operated regional passenger services. its main base was at kamuzu international airport.