Air Namibia suspends Luanda route
The national carrier announced yesterday that it will suspend its Windhoek-Luanda route effective this Sunday due to a drop in passenger demand.
According to Air Namibia, it initially commenced route operations in 1992, which started off as two flights per week and steadily increased to seven by 2014/15.
“The Windhoek-Luanda route was Air Namibia's most profitable route from 1998 to 2015,” the airline said in a statement.
The situation changed when the Angolan economy weakened and passenger demand for air travel declined, the airline said.
“To adapt to these economic changes, from 2016/17, Air Namibia reduced the number of flights from seven to six per week, then to five. By 2018/19, the number of flights was reduced to four per week.
This route was suspended from June to October 2019 due to viability reasons, but services were reinstated during October 2019 to January this year (high season).”
Air Namibia's interim CEO Xavier Masule said while they recognise that this was Air Namibia's most profitable route in the past, the reality today is different. “The route is loss-making to a level which is not sustainable, and there are no prospects of the situation changing in the foreseeable future.”
Passengers booked on affected flights will be accommodated on flights operated by TAAG Angolan Airlines, and their travel itineraries will not be negatively affected.
STAFF REPORTER
According to Air Namibia, it initially commenced route operations in 1992, which started off as two flights per week and steadily increased to seven by 2014/15.
“The Windhoek-Luanda route was Air Namibia's most profitable route from 1998 to 2015,” the airline said in a statement.
The situation changed when the Angolan economy weakened and passenger demand for air travel declined, the airline said.
“To adapt to these economic changes, from 2016/17, Air Namibia reduced the number of flights from seven to six per week, then to five. By 2018/19, the number of flights was reduced to four per week.
This route was suspended from June to October 2019 due to viability reasons, but services were reinstated during October 2019 to January this year (high season).”
Air Namibia's interim CEO Xavier Masule said while they recognise that this was Air Namibia's most profitable route in the past, the reality today is different. “The route is loss-making to a level which is not sustainable, and there are no prospects of the situation changing in the foreseeable future.”
Passengers booked on affected flights will be accommodated on flights operated by TAAG Angolan Airlines, and their travel itineraries will not be negatively affected.
STAFF REPORTER
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