Airport Development Limited (ADL), a company that owns and manages Kamuzu International Airport (KIA) in Lilongwe, says it will renovate Likoma Island Airport and turn it into an international facility.
Under the public sector reforms being championed by Public Sector Reforms Commission chaired by Vice-President Saulos Chilima, government has approved that ADL should now be managing Likoma Island Airport.
ADL chief executive officer Rodrick Chattaika in an interview could not disclose how much will be required to renovate the airport, but confirmed that the parastatal’s board has approved funds for the work.
He said: “So far, we have done some maintenance works, markings and we have even purchased a genset so that there is constant power.”
Director of tourism in the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Isaac Katopola, said turning Likoma Island Airport into an international airport will spur tourism growth as most tour operators sell Malawi as a package with its neighbouring countries such as Mozambique and Zambia.
“Likoma Island Airport is the third busiest in Malawi after Kamuzu and Chileka airports and this [turning it international] will mean big aircraft landing there,” he said.
According to skyscanner.com, Likoma Island Airport is a public airport which resides at an elevation of 488 metres above sea level.
It has an asphalt-surfaced runway measuring 1 121 metres in length.
