Some Info On One Of Three “Ghost Aircraft” At Or Tambo
By Joppie Niemand
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15.03.2025
A Boeing 737-200 carrying the registration C9-BAM that once formed part of Air Corridor, a long defunct Mozambique Airline, has been rotting away at the airport for a long time. The story behind her languishing is a a classic case of a grounded aircraft without a real future.
Air Corridor was a small Mozambique Airline that operated between 2004 and 2008. I 2008 they started to experience financial difficulties and subsequently closed. Unable to pay the airport's landing and handling charges C9-BAM, one of their small fleet of 737-200’s, were left abandoned at OR Tambo.
The reason why these abandoned aircraft are difficult to dispose of is because of legal and financial complications. Since the aircraft technically belong to a foreign bankrupt airline it has become a nightmare to recover the outstanding landing, handling and other administrative fee as well as subsequent storage and dismantling. As the cost mount it become cheaper for the owners just to abandon the aircraft.
OR Tambo over the years, moved from her from time to time and she became an permanent fixture. Eventually abandoned and broken down aircraft were moved to an unused area close the fence from where they are visible from the R21 freeway. This is where C9-BAM eventually ended up.Over the years left to the ravages of the elements and slowly being stripped for parts years she has became a tourist and photographer’s attraction and is testament of how airlines come and goes while some aircraft just does not leave.
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