The airline started operations on the Windhoek-Johannesburg-Accra route in 2009, but after cabinet approved a new business plan, the route was changed to a direct Accra-Windhoek flight.
This was done despite the airline’s knowledge that the route had limited traffic volumes, but in the hope that the introduction of a direct service would help grow the traffic to the desired levels.
Manager for Government and Bilateral Relations Elise Petersen said, “The company stopped flights to Accra because of finance, that is the main reason. However, this does not mean we are closing the route, our bilateral relations will continue to exist.”
The pullout comes several months after Air Namibia welcomed its newest competition - the German airline, Condor’s, whose winter timetable includes Windhoek as a new long-haul destination thus expected to give the national airline tough competition on its Windhoek-Frankfurt route.
Observers warned that the decision to allow direct competition for Air Namibia will result in tough times for the airline as Condor, which is Lufthansa’s low cost airlines’ subsidiary, will also fly the same route.
This was done despite the airline’s knowledge that the route had limited traffic volumes, but in the hope that the introduction of a direct service would help grow the traffic to the desired levels.
Manager for Government and Bilateral Relations Elise Petersen said, “The company stopped flights to Accra because of finance, that is the main reason. However, this does not mean we are closing the route, our bilateral relations will continue to exist.”
The pullout comes several months after Air Namibia welcomed its newest competition - the German airline, Condor’s, whose winter timetable includes Windhoek as a new long-haul destination thus expected to give the national airline tough competition on its Windhoek-Frankfurt route.
Observers warned that the decision to allow direct competition for Air Namibia will result in tough times for the airline as Condor, which is Lufthansa’s low cost airlines’ subsidiary, will also fly the same route.
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