Air Nam not yet paid for Sochi trip

Air Namibia has yet to be paid for the National Youth Council's (NYC) chartered flight to Sochi, Russia, last October.

The airline's spokesperson, Paulus Nakawa, would not divulge how much it is owed, but acknowledged that “some money” was owed to it.

“In 2017 Air Namibia gladly transported the youth under the umbrella of the NYC to Sochi, Russia. It was not the first time the Namibian youths have made use of their own national carrier – Air Namibia – they have proudly and patriotically done so many times in the past,” Nakawa said.

“In short, the NYC is one of our very proud and satisfied clients. Our relationship with them is lasting and cordial.”

As for the payment for the chartered flight, Nakawa said the airline would not divulge the amount due because it was “abiding by the terms of the signed agreement”.

“[And] there is nothing peculiar about the money owed to date. Our relationship [with the NYC] is enduring and we know beyond any doubt the NYC will settle their bill in due course to honour the service rendered to them,” Nakawa said.

The Air Namibia Airbus A330 was chartered to take about 172 NYC members - primarily Swapo Youth League (SPYL) members - to the 2017 World Festival of Youth and Students in Sochi.

At the time Air Namibia would not say how much the flight cost, describing it as a “confidential business deal”.

It said the flight was chartered at the full operational cost, including its margin. The cost included the flight from Sochi to Frankfurt in Germany, from where it resumed a scheduled flight.

A member of the Namibian Cabin Crew Union (NCCU), speaking on condition of anonymity, said there were other “hidden costs” involved, since the plane was delayed for six hours at the Sochi airport on arrival.

The Airbus was also chartered for the delegation's return to Namibia.



'Spyl must pay'

The director of the NYC, Calista Gowases, said it was not the NYC that should foot the bill but the SPYL, since the trip to Sochi was planned by the ruling party's youth wing.

She said the NYC merely facilitated the arrangements on behalf of the SPYL.

Gowases said the trip was coordinated by a tripartite preparatory committee consisting of the NYC, SPYL and the Ministry of Sport, Youth and National Service. This committee was chaired by Neville Andre, a former spokesperson of the SPYL.

“We were just coordinating the event; we are not the sponsors,” Gowases said, adding that Andre had signed off on all operational matters.

Andre, who is no longer in the leadership of the SPYL since its congress in August last year, said he was only answerable to the institutions involved and did not have the authority to speak to the media.

The new SPYL secretary, Ephraim Nekongo, acknowledged that the SPYL was responsible for paying the chartered flight, but was not prepared to answer any questions on the matter.

“The issue at hand is one between the SPYL, NYC and Air Namibia. We have the capacity to deal with it,” Nekongo said.

He said the SPYL would say more on the matter “at a suitable time”, adding that a meeting was proposed between the three parties where the matter would be discussed.

Nekongo said when the SPYL sent members to Ecuador in 2013, for which the Namibian government had coughed up N$5.8 million, they also flew with Air Namibia and the airline was then duly paid, as it would now.

“If we had not paid Air Namibia [for the Ecuador trip], Air Namibia would have known what to do [for the Sochi trip],” Nekongo said yesterday.

CATHERINE SASMAN