Over the next three weeks there will be a significant boost in airlift to Namibia.
Namibia is set to welcome more passengers and visitors, with increased airlift into its capital, Windhoek over the coming weeks.
The city will see several new flights being introduced in October and November.
FLYSAFAIR
Firstly, South Africa’s low-cost carrier, FlySafair, will introduce scheduled flights between Cape Town International Airport and Windhoek’s Hosea Kutako International Airport on 22 October.
The route will be operated twice a week with a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, seating 189 passengers. These flights will operate on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Moreover, this is FlySafair’s first cross-border route out of Cape Town International Airport.
SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS
Then, South African Airways, which already operates two daily flights between Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport and Windhoek’s primary international airport has announced that it will increase the frequency of its flights to Namibia’s capital.
SAA will introduce an early morning flight into and out of Windhoek on 27 October. The additional frequency will depart Johannesburg at 05.45 and will then depart Windhoek at 08.30
South African Airways will thus offer three daily flights from Johannesburg to Windhoek from 27 October.
The airline operates these flights with an Airbus A320 aircraft.
AIR BOTSWANA
New Air Botswana flights from Gaborone were introduced to Windhoek on 1 October. This service is operated three times a week. Flights are on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
This route flight is operated with an Embraer E175 aircraft seating up to 88 passengers in economy class.
Then, on 1 November Air Botswana will launch two additional flight routes into Windhoek. One service will be from Maun while the other will be from Kasane, in Botswana.
These services will be operated on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Flights will be operated with various aircraft, depending on the day of operation.
On Saturdays, flights between Maun and Windhoek will be operated with an Embraer E175 seating 88 passengers while on Tuesdays the route will be operated with an Embraer ERJ 145 seating 50 passengers. And on Thursdays, it will be operated with an Embraer E170 seating 70 passengers.
Three weekly rotations between Kasane and Windhoek will be operated by an Embraer ERJ 145 jet seating 50 passengers.
REVIVING AIR NAMIBIA?
Namibia’s national carrier, Air Namibia, collapsed in 2021 due to mounting debts.
There have been calls for Namibia’s national carrier Air Namibia to be relaunched.
As part of its electioneering campaign, Namibia’s ruling party, the South West African People’s Organisation (SWAPO), has said it would revive the country’s defunct national airline.
However, Airlink franchisee FlyNamibia has already made inroads in the Nambian aviation landscape, setting itself up on domestic and regional routes.
Therefore, it seems that the national carrier would have little room to offer scheduled flights – at this stage.