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Air Namibia

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Air Namibia (Pty) Limited, which traded as Air Namibia, was the national airline of Namibia,[4] headquartered in the country's capital, Windhoek.[5] It operated scheduled domestic, regional, and international passenger and cargo services, having its international hub in Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport and a domestic hub at the smaller Windhoek Eros Airport. As of December 2013, the carrier was wholly owned by the Namibian government.[6] Air Namibia was a member of both the International Air Transport Association and the African Airlines Association.

Air Namibia
IATA ICAO Call sign
SW NMB NAMIBIA
FoundedNovember 1946; 78 years ago (1946-11)
Ceased operationsFebruary 11, 2021 (2021-02-11)[1]
HubsHosea Kutako International Airport
Secondary hubs
Frequent-flyer programReward$
Fleet size10
Destinations18
Parent companyGovernment of Namibia (fully owned)
HeadquartersWindhoek, Namibia
Key peopleTheo Mberirua (interim CEO)[2]
Employees600 (February 2021)[3]
Websiteairnamibia.com

History

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Early years

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An Air Namibia Boeing 747SP at Frankfurt Airport in 1996.

The origins of the airline trace back to November 1946 (1946-11), when South West Air Transport (SWAT) was established. Using Ryan Navion aircraft, this carrier started operations in 1949 linking Windhoek with Grootfontein.[nb 1] Charter and cargo flights were also undertaken. In 1950, the company started feeder services for South African Airways. By 1958, a fleet of seven Ryan Navions and one de Havilland Dragon Rapide served a route network that included Grootfontein, Tsumeb, Otjiwarongo, Outjo, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay and Windhoek.[8] On 26 March 1959,[9] SWAT merged with Oryx Aviation — a small passenger airline established three years earlier[10]— to form South West Airways (Afrikaans: Suidwes Lugdiens).[11][12] IATA membership was gained later that year.[13]

Two Cessna 205s were purchased, entering the fleet in December 1962 (1962-12) and eventually replacing the Navions.[8] Namibair, set up as a charter airline in 1963, became a subsidiary company of Suidwes Lugdiens in 1966.[14] In 1969, Safmarine acquired a 50% stake in Suidwes,[14] eventually boosting its participation to 85%.[15] At February 1970 (1970-02), the Suidwes fleet comprised four Piper Aztecs, one de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver, two Piper PA-28 Cherokees, one Cessna 182, one Cessna 205, one Cessna 206, one Cessna 402, three Douglas DC-3s and five Piper PA-30 Twin Comanches; at this time the carrier had 45 employees.[16] A Fairchild-Hiller FH-227 was acquired in 1974, and a Convair 580 was later incorporated into the fleet to perform charter flights carrying miners to their jobs in Grootfontein and Tsumeb.[8]

Suidwes merged into Namib Air on 1 December 1978.[7][8] The South West African government became the major shareholder in 1982.[17] Following the creation of the South West Africa National Transport Corporation in 1986, Namib Air took over all air transport operations in the country.[18] The airline was designated as the country's flag carrier in 1987.[7][18] That year, two 19-seater Beech 1900s were bought. In 1988, the company was incorporated into the Namibian state-owned holding company Transnamib.[10] On 6 August 1989, a Boeing 737-200 leased from South African Airways that flew the Windhoek–Johannesburg route inaugurated the carrier's jet era.[19][20] In October the same year, a third Beech 1900 was incorporated into the fleet.[10]

 
An Air Namibia McDonnell Douglas MD-11 at Zurich Airport in 2005.

Services to Lusaka and Luanda were launched in 1990 and 1991, respectively.[10] Following the independence of the country, the company was re-christened again, adopting the current name of Air Namibia in October 1991 (1991-10).[7] The early 1990s also saw the launch of long-haul services to Europe: the Windhoek–Frankfurt route started being flown in 1991 twice a week using a Boeing 747SP, and London was included into the route network in 1992,[17] with a non-stop flight.[21] In 1993, services to Frankfurt, which were served twice-weekly, were also extended to London.[21] Air Namibia was re-absorbed into the Namibian government after an injection of US$3,700,000 (equivalent to $6,916,537 in 2023) in 1998, following the precarious cash position it was led into by TransNamib.[22] LTU, Germany's second largest airline at the time, entered into a codeshare agreement with Air Namibia in February 1998.[23] Air Namibia acquired a new Boeing 747-400 Combi in April 1999 (1999-04) with financial aid from the U.S. Export Import Bank.[24] Named Welwitschia, the aircraft was handed over by the manufacturer in October that year.[25] The new machine came to replace the carrier's Boeing 747SP,[26] and was retired in 2004.[27] That year, the carrier started flying the McDonnell Douglas MD-11.[28]

Developments since the 2000s

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An Air Namibia Airbus A340-300 at Frankfurt Airport in 2013.

By April 2000 (2000-04), the airline's employees numbered 418. At this time, Air Namibia operated a Boeing 727-100, two Boeing 737-200 Advanced, one Boeing 747-400 Combi and three Raytheon Beech 1900Cs that served Cape Town, Frankfurt, Johannesburg, London, Luanda, Luderitz, Lusaka, Maun, Mokuti Lodge, Mpacha, Ondangwa, Oranjemund, Swakopmund, Victoria Falls, Walvis Bay and Windhoek.[29] That year, the airline joined the African Airlines Association.[30]

The first of three Embraer ERJ 135s the airline leased from Régional, intended to replace the Beechcraft 1900 fleet,[31] was received in February 2011 (2011-02);[32] likewise, the first of two leased Airbus A319-100s entered the fleet in October the same year.[27] Intended as a replacement for the Boeing 737 fleet,[27] the company ordered another two Airbus A319s in February 2012 (2012-02), in a deal worth US$90 million;[33][34] in July the same year, the carrier signed an agreement for the lease of two Airbus A330-200s, aimed at replacing the Airbus A340-300s.[35] Of the last two A319s ordered, the first one was incorporated into the fleet in early January 2013 (2013-01).[36] In September 2013 (2013-09),[37] Air Namibia took delivery of its first Airbus A330-200.[38][39]

In April 2017 (2017-04), the airline was granted permission to fly to the United States by the US Department of Transportation. In March the airline completed a re-certification application by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (an audit process which was initiated in 2013), enabling the airline to fly to any EU member state.[40]

Decline and shutdown

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Air Namibia had been making losses since Namibian independence. In 2020, its assets stood at below 1 billion N$, while its liabilities amounted to 3 billion N$. Around 11 billion N$ had been provided by government over the previous 20 years. The airline was essentially "on death row".[41]

On 8 July 2020 the Transportation Commission of Namibia suspended the carrier's Scheduled Air Services Licence, citing financial and safety concerns.[42] In October 2020 the airline was given notice by Belgian lawyer Anicet Baum, of the company Challengair, claiming that Air Namibia was insolvent and unable to repay its debts to Challengeair (an amount of 18,s million Euro), which was settled to be repaid in instalments until September 2021.[43]

On 11 February 2021, the Namibian government announced the immediate shutdown and liquidation of Air Namibia due to overwhelming debt and years of financial dependence from the state.[44][3] At the time of closure, the airline operated nine aircraft and employed approximately 600 staff.[3]

In late October 2021, a South African aviation company offered 3.2 billion Namibian dollars to purchase the airline.[45]

Destinations

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Main article: List of Air Namibia destinations

As of June 2018, the route network comprised 18 destinations and 19 airports in nine different countries in Africa and Europe, with seven of these destinations being domestic ones.[46]

Codeshare agreements

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Air Namibia codeshared with the following airlines, as of September 2017:[47]

Fleet

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Air Namibia Airbus A330-200
 
Air Namibia Embraer ERJ 135ER

Final fleet

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The Air Namibia fleet consisted of the following aircraft (as of August 2019):[48]

Air Namibia fleet
Aircraft In service Orders Passengers Notes
C Y Total
Airbus A319-100 4 — 16 96 112[27][36]
Airbus A330-200 2 — 30 214 244[49]
Embraer ERJ 135ER 4 2[50] — 37 37
Embraer ERJ 145ER — 4[50] — 50 50
Total 10 6

Fleet development

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In recent developments regarding the Embraer ERJ-135-fleet, Westair Aviation, a 100% Namibian-owned company, acquired the four aircraft from the previous owner, Air France. According to the new owners, Westair would've enabled the upgrade and renewal of the domestic and regional fleet.[51] In August 2017 the airline confirmed that it was committed to purchasing 2 new Embraer ERJ-135 and 4 new Embraer ERJ-145 jets, for delivery 2018[52][53][54] However, none of those were ever delivered prior to the airline's demise.[citation needed]

Former fleet

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An Air Namibia Boeing 747-400 departs Frankfurt Airport in 2001.

The company previously operated the following aircraft:[55]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Also reported to having started operations in 1948.[7]

References

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  1. ^ "Air Namibia's staff sent home as airline is to be liquidated". NBC. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Air Namibia Appoints new interim CEO". centerfor aviation.com. 13 July 2020.
  3. ^ a b c "Air Namibia ist am Ende" [Air Namibia is finished]. aeroTELEGRAPH (in Swiss High German). 11 February 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  4. ^ Brandt, Edgar (24 January 2013). "Namibia: Air Nam Reduces Flights". AllAfrica.com. New Era. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014.
  5. ^ "Air Namibia – Contact Us". Air Namibia. Archived from the original on 18 October 2012. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
  6. ^ "Corporate Profile". Air namibia. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2013.
  7. ^ a b c d "Directory: world airlines – Air Namibia [SW] (NMB)". Flight International: 70. 16–22 March 2004. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2012.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Guttery (1998), p. 136.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g "World airline directory – Namib Air". Flight International: 98. 30 March 1985. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  10. ^ a b c d Guttery (1998), p. 135.
  11. ^ a b c "Commuter airlines directory – Namib Air". Flight International: 1411. 7 November 1981. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  12. ^ "Air Transport – Air Malawi General Manager". Flight International: 996. 15 June 1967. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2012. Mr G. T. van Rooyen has been appointed general manager of Air Malawi. He was formerly general manager of Suidwes Lugdiens, the South West African carrier. After war service as a pilot with the South African Air Force, Mr Van Rooyen entered civil aviation in 1946 as a pilot with South West Air Transport and was appointed manager in 1948 and managing director in 1952. In 1959 he became general manager of Suidwes Lugdiens on its creation by the merger of South West and Oryx Aviation.
  13. ^ "Brevities". Flight. 76 (2633): 95. 28 August 1959. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Suidwes Lugdiens (Edms) Beperke—South West Airways (Pty.) Ltd. of Windhoek, South Africa, have been admitted as the tenth associate member of I.A.T.A.
  14. ^ a b "World airlines – Suidwes Lugdiens (Eiendoms) Beperk". Flight International. 101 (3296): 43. 18 May 1972. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012.
  15. ^ "Third-level airlines – Suidwes Lugdiens (Edms) Beperk". Flight International. 107 (3440): 268. 13 February 1975. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013.
  16. ^ "Third level ailines – Suidwes Lugdiens (Elendoms) Beperk". Flight International. 97 (3179): 212. 12 February 1970. Archived from the original on 9 August 2014.
  17. ^ a b "About us – History | Air Namibia". Air Namibia. Archived from the original on 18 July 2012.
  18. ^ a b "World Airline Directory – Namib Air". Flight International: 106. 1 April 1989. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  19. ^ "Namib Air plans US flights". Flight International: 11. 2 September 1989. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012. SAA recently leased a Boeing 737 to Namib Air for its first jet flights between Windhoek, Johannesburg, and Cape Town.
  20. ^ "World Airline Directory – Namib Air". Flight International: 113. 14–20 March 1990. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  21. ^ a b Guttery (1998), p. 134.
  22. ^ Hilka Birns (9 December 1998). "Government saves Air Namibia". Flightglobal.com. Cape Town. Flight International. Archived from the original on 7 April 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2012.
  23. ^ "Reference at allafrica.com".
  24. ^ "Air Namibia Acquires Boeing 747-400 Combi". Boeing. 21 April 1999. Archived from the original on 21 June 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  25. ^ "Air Namibia Takes Delivery of Its First Boeing 747-400 Combi". Boeing. 22 October 1999. Archived from the original on 21 June 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  26. ^ a b "Namibia boosts cargo with 747 Combi". Flightglobal. Flight International. 3 November 1999. Archived from the original on 10 August 2014.
  27. ^ a b c d Nyaungwa, Nyasha Francis (20 December 2012). "Namibia: National Airline Enters New Era". AllAfrica.com. Namibia Economist. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014.
  28. ^ a b "Directory: world airliners – MD-11". Flight International. 166 (4957): 69. 26 October – 1 November 2004. Archived from the original on 9 August 2014. A large number of MD-11s are now operating as freighters, but Air Namibia became a new operator of the passenger version earlier this year
  29. ^ "World airline directory – Air Namibia". Flight International. 157 (4722): 63. 4–10 April 2000. ISSN 0015-3710. Archived from the original on 21 October 2013.
  30. ^ "AFRAA Current members – Air Namibia". AFRAA. Archived from the original on 16 December 2012. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
  31. ^ "Aircraft News". Air Transport World. 3 February 2011. Archived from the original on 3 June 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2012. ECC Leasing arranged the lease of three Embraer ERJ-135s operated by Air France subsidiary Regional to Air Namibia. The aircraft are intended to replace some of the African airline's turboprops and are slated for delivery in March.
  32. ^ a b "Air Namibia exploite son premier Embraer ERJ-135" [Air Namibia receives its first Embraer ERJ-135] (in French). Air Journal. 18 February 2011. Archived from the original on 23 February 2011. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  33. ^ "Air Namibia commande deux Airbus A319" [Air Namibia orders two Airbus A319] (in French). Air Journal. 11 February 2012. Archived from the original on 10 August 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  34. ^ Blachly, Linda (7 February 2012). "Air Namibia places order for two A319s". Air Transport World. Archived from the original on 7 July 2012.
  35. ^ "Air Namibia signs lease agreement for two new Airbus A330-200 aircraft" (PDF) (Press release). Air Namibia. 12 July 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 June 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  36. ^ a b Poolman, Jan (7 January 2013). "Namibia: New Air Namibia Plane Arrives". AllAfrica.com. The Namibian. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014.
  37. ^ Blachly, Linda (30 September 2013). "Air Namibia takes delivery of first A330-200". Air Transport World. Archived from the original on 11 October 2013. 
  38. ^ Inambao, Chrispin (30 September 2013). "A330-200s to cut costs". New Era. Archived from the original on 1 October 2013.
  39. ^ Kaira, Chamwe (27 September 2013). "AirNam new planes unprofitable, but will cut down costs". The Namibian. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  40. ^ Reporter, New Era Staff (22 May 2017). "Air Namibia granted right to fly into US". New Era Newspaper Namibia.
  41. ^ Ngatjiheue, Charmaine; Shihepo, Timo; Immanuel, Shinovene (12 February 2021). "THE END – Air Namibia shutdown to cost billions". The Namibian.
  42. ^ Shikongo, Arlana (8 July 2020). "Air Namibia air service licence suspended". The Namibian.
  43. ^ "Air Namibia to resist liquidation". The Namibian. 7 October 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  44. ^ "Air Namibia ceases operations, gov't to announce liquidation". ch-aviation. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  45. ^ "SA airline offers N$3,2 billion for Air Namibia … FlyWestair rebrands to FlyNamibia". thenamibian.co.na. 3 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  46. ^ "Flight Schedule (Effective 29 June 2018–27 October 2018" (PDF). Air Namibia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 June 2018.
  47. ^ "Flight Schedule (Effective 3 September 2017 (2017-09-03)–28 October 2017 (2017-10-28))" (PDF). Air Namibia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 August 2017.
  48. ^ "Global Airline Guide 2019 (Part One)". Airliner World (October 2019): 21.
  49. ^ Nyaungwa, Nyasha Francis (13 July 2012). "Namibia: Air Namibia Introduces New Planes". AllAfrica.com. Namibia Economist. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014.
  50. ^ a b "Air Namibia approves acquisition of six Embraer airliners. African Aerospace, 10. August 2017". Africanaerospace.aero. 10 August 2017.
  51. ^ "Westair to adopt Air Namibia lease agreement - The Namibian". The Namibian. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  52. ^ "Air Namibia to acquire more ERJs for renewal, growth". ch-aviation.com. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  53. ^ BREVES. "Compagnies aériennes – 06 Embraer ERJ 135 et 145 pour Air Namibia – NewsAero". Newsaero.info. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  54. ^ "Air Namibia". Airliner World (October 2017): 11.
  55. ^ "SubFleets for: Air Namibia". AeroTransport Data Bank. 9 April 2013. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  56. ^ "Our Fleet". Air Namibia. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013.
  57. ^ a b Penney, Stewart (31 March 1999). "Good business". Flightglobal.com. Flight International. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  58. ^ "Air Namibia leases SAA 747SP". Flightglobal.com. Flight International. 19 May 1999. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
  59. ^ Birns, Hilka (26 March 2002). "Air Namibia works new strategy". Flightglobal.com. Flight International. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012. Air Namibia also has two Fokker F28s, one Boeing 737-200 leased from Safair and two EADS/Indonesian Aerospace CN235s.

Bibliography

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  • Guttery, Ben R. (1998). Encyclopedia of African Airlines. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. ISBN 0-7864-0495-7.
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  Media related to Air Namibia at Wikimedia Commons

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