Air Namibia

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Air Namibia
Air Namibia logo.svg
IATA
SW		 ICAO
NMB		 Callsign
NAMIBIA
Founded 1978 (1978)
Hubs
Secondary hubs
Frequent-flyer program Reward$
Fleet size 10
Destinations 15
Company slogan Carrying the spirit of Namibia[1]
Parent company Government of Namibia (100%)
Headquarters Windhoek, Namibia
Key people
Website www.airnamibia.com.na

Air Namibia is the national airline of Namibia,[3][4] headquartered in Windhoek.[5] It operates scheduled domestic, regional, and international passenger and cargo services under IATA airline designator SW and ICAO airline designator NMB.[6] Its international hub is Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport, with a domestic hub at the smaller Windhoek Eros Airport.

As of January 2013, the carrier is wholly owned by the Namibian government.[3] Air Namibia is a member of both the International Air Transport Association and the African Airlines Association.

Contents

History [edit]

The origins of the airline trace back to 1946, when South West Air Transport was established, starting operations in 1948.[6] On 26 March 1959, it merged with Oryx Aviation to form South West Airways (Afrikaans: Suidwes Lugdiens).[7][8][9] IATA membership was gained later that year.[10]

Namibair was set up in 1963 as a charter airline, becoming a subsidiary company of Suidwes Lugdiens in 1966.[11] Safmarine acquired a 50% stake in Suidwes in 1969, eventually boosting its participation to 85%.[11] Both companies were merged into Namib Air in 1978.[6][8]

The South-West African government became the major shareholder in 1982.[12] Following the creation of the South-West Africa National Transport Corporation in 1986, Namib Air took over all air transport operations in the country.[13] The airline was designated as the country's flag carrier in 1987.[6][13]

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.[14][15]

The company was re-christened again to the current name of Air Namibia in October 1991 (1991-10), after the independence of the country.[6] 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.[12]

It was re-absorbed into the Namibian government after an injection of US$3,700,000 ($5,211,576 in 2013) in 1998, following the precarious cash position it was led into by the Namibian state-owned holding company TransNamib.[16]

The airline joined the African Airlines Association in 2000.[17]

Destinations [edit]

Main article: Air Namibia destinations

As of May 2012, the route network comprises 15 destinations and 16 airports in 7 different countries in Africa and Europe, with seven of these destinations being domestic ones.[18] Both the launch of new services to Gaborone and Ondjiva and the resumption of flights to Harare are scheduled to take place on 15 May 2012.[19]

Fleet [edit]

Air Namibia operated a single Boeing 747-400 throughout its history. The aircraft is seen here departing Frankfurt Airport in 2001.

Air Namibia acquired a new Boeing 747-400 Combi in April 1999 (1999-04) with financial aid from the U.S. Export Import Bank.[20] Named Welwitschia, the aircraft was handed over by the manufacturer in October that year.[21] The new machine, which had been previously ordered by Asiana but was later cancelled, came to replace the carrier's Boeing 747SP,[22] and was retired in 2004.[23]

The first of three Embraer ERJ 135s the airline leased from Régional Compagnie Aérienne Européenne, intended to replace the Beechcraft 1900D park,[24] was received in February 2011 (2011-02);[25] likewise, the first of two leased Airbus A319-100s entered the fleet in October the same year.[23] Intended as a replacement of the Boeing 737 fleet,[23] the company ordered another two Airbus A319s in February 2012 (2012-02), in a deal worth US$90 million;[26][27] 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.[28] Of the last two A319s ordered, the first one was incorporated into the fleet in early January 2013 (2013-01).[29]

Current [edit]

An Air Namibia Airbus A340-300 at Frankfurt Airport in 2012.

With an average age of 10.9 years as of April 2013, the Air Namibia fleet consists of the following aircraft:[a]

Air Namibia Fleet
Aircraft Total Orders Passengers Notes
C Y Total
Airbus A319-100 4 — 16 96 112[23][29]
Airbus A330-200 — 2 30 214 244[32] EEIS: October 2013 (2013-10)[3][33]
Airbus A340-300 2 — 44 234 278 To be retired by October 2013 (2013-10).
Replacement aircraft: A330-200.[3]
Embraer ERJ 135 4 — — 37 37
Total 10 2

Retired [edit]

An Air Namibia McDonnell Douglas MD-11 takes off from Zurich Airport in 2005.

The company previously operated the following equipment:[30]

See also [edit]

Portal icon Aviation portal
Portal icon Namibia portal


Notes [edit]

  1. ^ Third party sources still include two Boeing 737-500s as part of the fleet.[30] These aircraft have been removed from the aircraft park list at the official website.[31]

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b "Air Namibia newly appointed Managing Director" (Press release). Air Namibia. 26 April 2012. Archived from the original on 1 May 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2012. 
  2. ^ "Air Namibia – Executive Profile". Air Namibia. Archived from the original on 1 May 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2012. 
  3. ^ a b c d Brandt, Edgar (24 January 2013). "Namibia: Air Nam Reduces Flights". AllAfrica.com. New Era. Archived from the original on 19 February 2013. 
  4. ^ Ihuhua, Corry (24 February 2012). "Air Namibia aims to soar higher". Windhoek: Namibian Sun. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2012. "Air Namibia intends to further spread its wings by acquiring more modern planes and expanding its routes, in view of restoring its credibility as the country’s flagship air carrier." 
  5. ^ "Air Namibia – Contact Us". Air Namibia. Retrieved 15 July 2011. 
  6. ^ a b c d e "Directory: world airlines – Air Namibia [SW] (NMB)". Flight International: 70. 16 March 2004 – 22 March 2004. Archived from the original on 1 May 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2012. 
  7. ^ 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. 
  8. ^ a b c d "Commuter airlines directory – Namib Air". Flight International: 1411. 7 November 1981. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2012. 
  9. ^ "Air Transport – Air Malawi General Manager". Flight International: 996. 15 June 1967. Archived from the original on 15 October 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." 
  10. ^ "BREVITIES" (pdf). Flight: 95. 28 August 1959. Retrieved 17 August 2011. "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." 
  11. ^ a b "World airlines – Suidwes Lugdiens (Eiendoms) Beperk" (pdf). Flight International: 43. 18 May 1972. Retrieved 17 August 2011. 
  12. ^ a b "About us – History | Air Namibia". Air Namibia. Retrieved 11 June 2011. 
  13. ^ a b "World Airline Directory – Namib Air" (pdf). Flight International: 106. 1 April 1989. Archived from the original on 5 July 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012. 
  14. ^ "Namib Air plans US flights" (PDF). Flight International: 11. 2 September 1989. Archived from the original on 5 July 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." 
  15. ^ "World Airline Directory – Namib Air" (PDF). Flight International: 113. 14 March 1990 – 20 March 1990. Archived from the original on 5 July 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012. 
  16. ^ Hilka Birns (9 December 1998). "Government saves Air Namibia". Flightglobal.com (Cape Town). Flight International. Archived from the original on 1 May 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2012. 
  17. ^ "AFRAA Current members – Air Namibia". AFRAA. Retrieved 15 July 2011. 
  18. ^ "Flight Schedule (Effective 1 April 2012–14 May 2012)". Air Namibia. Archived from the original on 1 May 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2012. 
  19. ^ "Flight Schedule (Effective 15 May 2012–1 September 2012)". Air Namibia. Archived from the original on 1 May 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2012. 
  20. ^ "Air Namibia Acquires Boeing 747-400 Combi". Boeing. 21 April 1999. Archived from the original on 19 February 2013. 
  21. ^ "Air Namibia Takes Delivery Of Its First Boeing 747-400 Combi". Boeing. 22 October 1999. Archived from the original on 19 February 2013. 
  22. ^ a b "Namibia boosts cargo with 747 Combi". Flightglobal. Flight International. 3 November 1999. Archived from the original on 5 July 2012. 
  23. ^ 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 19 February 2013. 
  24. ^ "Aircraft News". Air Transport World. 3 February 2011. Archived from the original on 1 May 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." 
  25. ^ 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 3 July 2012. 
  26. ^ "Air Namibia commande deux Airbus A319" [Air Namibia orders two Airbus A319] (in French). Air Journal. 11 February 2012. Archived from the original on 3 July 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2012. 
  27. ^ Blachly, Linda (7 February 2012). "Air Namibia places order for two A319s". Air Transport World. Archived from the original on 1 May 2012. 
  28. ^ "Air Namibia signs lease agreement for two new Airbus A330-200 aircraft" (Press release). Air Namibia. 12 July 2012. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2012. 
  29. ^ a b Poolman, Jan (7 January 2013). "Namibia: New Air Namibia Plane Arrives". AllAfrica.com. The Namibian. Archived from the original on 19 February 2013. 
  30. ^ a b "SubFleets for: Air Namibia". AeroTransport Data Bank. 9 April 2013. Archived from the original on 9 April 2013. 
  31. ^ "Fleet". Air Namibia. Retrieved 9 April 2013. 
  32. ^ Nyaungwa, Nyasha Francis (13 July 2012). "Namibia: Air Namibia Introduces New Planes". AllAfrica.com. Namibia Economist. Archived from the original on 25 February 2013. 
  33. ^ "Namibia: New Leased Airbus for Air Namibia". AllAfrica.com. New Era. 16 July 2012. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. 
  34. ^ a b Penney, Stewart (31 March 1999). "Good business". Flightglobal.com. Flight International. Archived from the original on 5 July 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012. 
  35. ^ "Air Namibia leases SAA 747SP". Flightglobal.com. Flight International. 19 May 1999. Archived from the original on 5 July 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012. 
  36. ^ Birns, Hilka (26 March 2002). "Air Namibia works new strategy". Flightglobal.com. Flight International. Archived from the original on 5 July 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." 

External links [edit]

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